Trust 1
by caitlinlorna
Summary: Ever wondered why Kathryn&Sebastian are so mixed up?.Their seperate and together childhoods?...PLEASE REVIEW!...**TBC soonish**
1. The exploration of the beginning of thre...

It took me a long time to decide whether to reveal the plot's secrets at the end or beginning - I've done it this way but maybe imagine the other way too.  
  
Ignore all the notions set up in Cruel intentions 2. Because I always had different ideas as to their past!. For a start, Kathryn's mother and step father look the way they did in Cruel Intentions 1!.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- Chapter 1 A man in his mid forties picked up the telephone receiver and dialed a number. A woman of similar age picked up. "Hello?" she inquired. She had an Irish accent. Frantically he began talking. He had a sophisticated posh English accent. He did not give her enough room to interrupt him. "It's Richard!...Listen you know what we talked about...Well, you've got to make a decision now or never...because I'm leaving now!". She whispered down the phone frantically in reply: "What?...But you can't!...You can't just expect me to make this sort of decision on the spot!!!!!...Where are you even thinking of going?". "I don't know!...abroad?...England maybe...Ireland if you want!". "Can't you wait just another day!" she begged. "No!...You don't understand she'll take her!...the bitch will take my daughter away from me!...We have to go now!...Are you coming or not?". "All right! All right!...come and collect me!". She put the phone down and begun to.- But wait a moment!. This is all too soon!. I'm sure your all eager to know what happened after Sebastian's funeral...So we'll deal with that first!.  
  
It had only been ten or fifteen minutes since Sebastian's journal had been handed round. But to Kathryn it felt like a lifetime. Her world had been shattered. The only person she had vaguely put trust in had betrayed her. Kathryn was being pushed around and shouted at by angry fellow pupils. "How could you...!" this and "I trusted you" that. The parental units had been ages. Where were they?...Did they still love her?...What were they thinking?. She'd probably be disowned and sent off to some boarding school in Outer Mongolia!!!. But then again no!. They clearly loved her. They'd never stop reminding her!. Their actions and neglect may not show it but she knew they did love her in their own sweet way. Or would they?. She isn't perfect now!. They may not love her if she's not perfect. They didn't disown Sebastian though!. But, Kathryn remembered the time she rebelled when she was 12. She turned at 12 - well, ten technically - but it was really 12 she got serious!. And her mother was so ashamed!. Her mother didn't know about the promiscuousity or alcohol...but the rude behavior was bad enough!. Kathryn decided after her mother's lecture that she should act perfect again - and she had till this day!. She almost felt a relief for a second that she now had the opportunity to tell everyone what she thought of them!. All about the way she hated her stepfather's attention. He was always touching her and petting her like she was a pet cat or something. Always wanting to be her father, when she didn't need one. And her mother!!!...both of them!!!...so sweetie sweet!!!...it made Kathryn sick!. Suddenly the crowds cleared. Someone was shouting at them to stop. It was her stepfather. Thank goodness she thought!. But he didn't look his usual sweet self!-he looked a bit angry with her!.  
  
Kathryn sat crying on her bed. Her mother knocked and came in. Kathryn was angry about something. "Everyone's asking after you, dear...why don't you come out?". Her mother was received with silence. So, she continued "Blaine's had to go!...he said to tell you bye...he said if you need anything then to go to him...such a sweet boy!...It's a shame he's gay!" said her mother in her usual sweet and delicate tender way. "Why do you fancy him?" sniped Kathryn. "Kathryn!" replied her shocked mother. "Well, you seem to fancy every other male" scorned Kathryn. "I'm not as bad as some!...anyway!...I meant it's a shame he's gay in a moral way!" her mother defended herself. "And you'd know all about morals wouldn't you, mother!...I'd simply like to remind you that you aren't exactly Mother Theresa yourself because you lecture me!" said Kathryn. "I know I'm not!" her mother admitted. Then there was just mere silence. Eventually her mother decided to get up and leave. But as she reached the door her mother turned and blurted out something, "He's sorry, Kathryn...really sorry!". "Yeah whatever!" replied Kathryn. "Well, can you blame him?" she asked. At that point Kathryn's stepfather walked in. He approached cautiously, meekly and sensitively. "Yes...I can blame him!" Kathryn sniped back in reply to the question. "Ah!...there you are, darling...I was just explaining to Kathryn...that you..." said her mother. He interrupted to continue, "Am truly sorry, Kathryn!...I don't know what came over me!...I was just so stressed!!!!...First, my son is dead...and then my daughter is goodness knows what!!!...I just flipped!!!". "I am not your daughter!!!" Kathryn sniped. "How can you be surprised after the way you behaved?...in front of everyone?...the things you said!...that was below the belt!" her mother said. "Why are you defending him?...watch out for him, your be next!...mark my words!" Kathryn sniped. "Don't over react Kathryn...he only tapped you on the cheek!" her mother exclaimed. "In front of everyone!!!!...and they!!!...they clapped!!!" shouted Kathryn. Leonie comforted Kathryn by sliding an arm round her and sitting on the bed next to her. David came over to do it too. But, Kathryn eventually pushed them both off. "Just go!!...Both of you!!...Just go!!...No actually!!! I will go!!...I'm staying the night at Blaine's!" Kathryn got up to storm out her bedroom. "You can't!!!" her mother called out trying to stop her. "Why?" Kathryn demanded. "Well...errr..." her mother murmured. "We need to talk, Kathryn!" her stepfather added. "Tomorrow" Kathryn said. "Today!" her stepfather demanded. "Am I grounded?...because otherwise!...I'm going!" asked Kathryn. There was silence. The parental units didn't know what to say. "Well, er...we were hoping instead you just stay in for...let's stay the rest of the week?" her mother murmured. "Am I grounded or not?......For goodness sake, you've got to make one decision in your life!......for once act like parents and discipline me!". Kathryn seemed to want to be punished or controlled. Yet, her parental units just weren't naturally like that. Her mother and stepfather discussed the topic and came back with an answer. "We've decided...yes, you are grounded!" her mother said proudly. "I'm impressed!...see ya!" Kathryn said as leaving. "Where are you going?" her mother asked frantically. "Oh sorry, I forgot to mention!...I'm disobeying you!" exclaimed Kathryn walking out. "She wasn't meant to do that", her stepfather concluded worriedly. "I think this may be harder than we thought!" her mother said worried and exhausted. They were like something out a cartoon or a comedy sketch!. They were the world's best and worst parents. Good in the way they cared so much and let their children do what they wanted. But, bad in the way they let their children do what they wanted and were never around!. "At least, she's safe at Blaine's!...he's gay!...he won't get her pregnant!" her mother laughed, in an attempt to lighten the situation. "It's not funny!...with a reputation like hers!" said her stepfather. "She's a sensible and clever girl, sweetheart!...she'd never be that stupid!" said her mother. "That's not what I've been hearing!...I heard from someone just now that she's been playing Russian roulette with contraception!" her stepfather remarked. "Done be so stupid!...it's just a rumor!...she isn't that stupid!" remarked her mother. "I wouldn't have thought her mother would be!!!...But!!!!...does your illegitimate son ring any bells?!?!?!" remarked her stepfather. "You pig!!...that was an accident and you know it!" exploded her mother. "I'm sorry...that was uncalled for!...I apologize!" her stepfather said. "We'll sort her before it's too late!...Don't worry!" her mother comforted her stepfather. "I hope so" he sighed. He sat down exhausted and worried. What were they going to do with her?. "We shouldn't have kept Kathryn's grief from everyone!...now all this stuff has come out, it's confirmed her as a....well, a not very nice and caring person!" her mother meekly whined. "She needed those pills!...it wasn't even a case of concealing it!...she couldn't stay in that state!...plus we deserve to mourn too!...it is our child buried there" wept David. "It's just I heard Mrs Vincy commenting on it!!...don't worry I put her straight!!...I put her straight on the many hours of wailing!!!...the collapsing!!!...the throwing up!!!...the various suicide attempts!!!...the amount of breakable items she broke!!!...the fact she had to be sedated!!!...the many different types of pills she had to take!!!...etc,etc,etc,etc,etc!!!!!!!!!!!!...the whole fiasco of it!!!". Her stepfather got up from his seat in a flurry. "What are we going to do?!?!?!?" he declared. Her mother paused and suddenly turned her mood. It wasn't about Kathryn anymore, it was about her stepfather. "I don't know, darling....but there is one thing I know...sit down...there's something we need to discuss that I didn't want to mention in front of Kathryn" her mother said taking her stepfather's hand and pulling him down to sit next to her as she sat. "Sweetheart, I love you to the end of the earth!!!!...but!...if you ever put so much as a finger on my daughter again!!! I will be right out that door, understand?!!!!!!...she means the world to me!!!...more than you!!!...no offense!!...I mean!...If it was between you and her!...well, she's my daughter!!!...she needs me!...and when you give birth to something...someone!...well, I didn't give birth to you! - Let's put it that way!". Kathryn's stepfather sat stunned. "I'm sorry...of course!...you know I'm not like that!...how could you think...?" said David hurt. "Fine! It's settled!" her mother said and left abruptly. 


	2. Let's start again!

Chapter 2  
  
A man in his mid forties picked up the telephone receiver and dialed a number. A woman of similar age picked up. "Hello?" she inquired. She had an Irish accent. Frantically he began talking. He had a sophisticated posh English accent. He did not give her enough room to interrupt him. "It's Richard!...Listen you know what we talked about...Well, you've got to make a decision now or never...because I'm leaving now!". She whispered down the phone frantically in reply: "What?...But you can't!...You can't just expect me to make this sort of decision on the spot!!!!!...Where are you even thinking of going?". "I don't know!...abroad?...England maybe...Ireland if you want!". "Can't you wait just another day!" she begged. "No!...You don't understand she'll take her!...the bitch will take my daughter away from me!...We have to go now!...Are you coming or not?". "All right! All right!...come and collect me!" she replied. She put the phone down and begun to sob. She just sat by the telephone for a while crying. She was awakened by her husband's voice coming from the direction of the study. He was friendly, had an American accent and had no idea about how much his life was about to change. "Isobel darling...Who was that?" her husband asked. "It was just Richard wondering if we had those predictive figures ready, David" she lied. "Well, you can tell him I am frantically working day and night to produce them!". David paused and commented: "How strange!". A look of fear developed on Leonie's face: "What is, dear?". David replied "Well, Leonie usually discusses the business side with us...He hasn't a clue what he's talking about usually!". Isobel could only utter a "Uh huh...strange!" in response.  
  
Richard put the phone down. He looked worried, flustered and...almost scared!. That was unlike him!. He called out "Are you ready yet?...Hurry up!" as he tore up the stairs. He opened a bedroom door to reveal a girl of nine years old packing her bags, through tears. "Stop blubbering!" he scorned. "I don't wanna go" the American girl whined. He grabbed her hand and her bag and pulled her down the stairs. "We've got to go...If you hadn't kept secrets from me, we would be fine!". "I'm sorry!...I'm sorry!" she whined. But all he could reply is "It's too late for apologizes". The young girl fell on the floor crying. Richard took a deep sigh and realized his cruelty. He comforted the girl. "Pumpkin, I'm sorry!...I'm just really stressed!...Daddy, has a big problem and the only way he can BEGIN to sort it!...is by leaving". "What about mummy?" the girl blubbered. "She'll meet us there" Richard lied. "Can I help you with your problem, Daddy?". He looked down at her naive inquisitive eyes and regretfully replied "No pumpkin, not at the moment...but later!...later I am going to need your help so much, princess!!!...because I'm going to need you to co-operate with me!...in fact! wait!...you can help now!...you can help by getting in that car!...please hurry up!". "One second...I just have to do something" she replied. Richard nodded and went outside. The young girl walked towards the lounge room. There lying on the floor was a woman in her mid forties. The woman was unconscious and there was blood everywhere, but the woman's face was untouched. The young girl kneeled down and kissed her forehead. "Bye bye Mummy...I'm sorry" she said tearfully.  
  
Richard and the little girl were driving along in a flashy jaguar car. He was driving and she was in the back seat. There wasn't much noise and the girl seemed withdrawn. Richard broke the silence and tried to encourage the little girl. "You'll love it!...You like Isobel don't you?". Silence filled the car as the young girl stayed mute. "She has a son...the same age as you!...your have a brother!". "I already have a brother" the young girl replied. "Oh! He's a nothing!...This brother would be a something!...Any how, Jacob is only your half brother!...He's hardly a brother at all...and he's hardly lived with us!-so he doesn't count!". Silence invaded again. Richard continued "He isn't fully human!...He's mentally retarded!". An outburst of emotion sparked up in the young girl "And whose fault is that?????!!!!!". The car suddenly screeched to a halt. "What did you say?!!!" Richard shouted angrily. The young girl squirms back scared and petrified, practically in tears. "I'm sorry!...I'm sorry!" she whimpered. "I'm not the bad guy here!...It's your mother!...She made me do it!...What does she expect when she has a child without me!!!!!!!". There was silence. The young girl quivered to reply and Richard calmed himself to resume his driving.  
  
Back at Richard's house. A young woman and young man in their 20's walked through the front door . The woman immediately called out "Leonie?...It's Eloise...I've brought that stuff you wanted...and I've arranged for you to collect Jacob on the way...hello?...Oh! And I've brought Dominic who's promised to help...Leonie, are you ready yet?...Leonie?...hello???!!!". This woman, you could tell by her accent, was also English. But the man was American. They entered the lounge room and saw the woman lying blood- covered on the floor unconscious. "Leonie!!!!...Oh my god!!!...He's been here!!!!!!" Eloise screamed flustered. Eloise checked if Leonie had a pulse. "She has a pulse!...she should be all right!...Quick! Help me put her in the recovery position!...no wait! Go and get some bandages!!!...quick!!" Eloise screamed flustered. Dominic rushed out to the kitchen. "I'm not sure if we need an ambulance this time!...I'll try and wake her!" called out Eloise. She shook Leonie chanting "Leonie, wake up!...wake up! it's Eloise!". Eventually Leonie awoke and choked "Eloise?". "I knew I should have been quicker!!!!!...but I thought he wouldn't be back for ages!...He wasn't meant to be back for another five hours!...Where is he?...I'll kill him!...Let me at him!". Alarms bells suddenly rang in Leonie's head. Leonie sprung up and ran upstairs, followed by a frantic Eloise. "Leonie!!!!!...be careful!!!!!...you need to rest!!!!!!...your collapse again!". Leonie went into her daughter's room to find her clothes and prized belongings gone!. Leonie just fell on the floor crying. "He's taken her!!!!!...He's taken my precious away from me!!!!...He's taken her!" cried Leonie devastated. "What?" asked Eloise confused. Eloise thought and then called out to Dominic "Dominic!!!!...Call the police!!!!...tell them there's been a child kidnapped!!!!!". Eloise got down on the floor to comfort a crying Leonie. Eloise soon began crying too. "Sshhh...Don't worry!...We'll find her!...They'll find her!...They'll find her" Eloise chanted tearfully. 


	3. The Motel

Chapter 3 Richard was now driving along with his daughter, his lover and her son. There was a silence caused by worry, tension and a lack of acquaintance. Richard broke the silence again "Why does HE have to come?!!!". Isobel was shocked by this comment and Richard's behavior in whole. "Richard!...he is sitting in the car, how could you?...Of course, I was going to bring him!...did you really expect me to leave him?...You brought your daughter!". "That's different" he snapped. "Why are you acting like this?" she asked. "Like what" he inquired. "You've been rude, insensitive, snappy and cruel ever since we left!...your not usually like this!". Richard looked in his mirror and saw the reflection of his daughter in the back, who just stared at him. "I'm sorry...I'm just stressed" he replied calmer. "Well, don't take it out on us!" Isobel snapped. The silence resumed.  
  
The group got to a motel. They ordered two rooms, one with a double bed for the couple and one with two single beds for the kids. The kids were playing computer games, while their parents sat on the bed watching over them. Isobel was trying to discuss plans with Richard, but Richard was obsessedly staring at Kathryn. Kathryn didn't look happy. Eventually Isobel asked "Richard!...Richard are you listening?...Richard!". Eventually she got a "huh?...What?". Isobel inquired "Is something wrong?". He replied "I don't think she's happy...sleeping with strangers...she's very unsettled and she needs stability...She needs me to stay in her room". "Excuse me?" Isobel said seeming a bit taken back. "Isobel!...I'm her father!...how could you think that?...the person who shouldn't be trusted with the girl is you - the stranger!...Look what happened to Miranda...some stranger took her!" exclaimed Richard. "Miranda who?" asked Isobel. "Kathryn's friend...the murdered Miranda!" said Richard. "Oh, of course!...wait a moment!!!!...I'm not a crazed murderer!...Richard, how could you think?" exclaimed Isobel. "Well, you thought stuff about me!...anyway, who can I trust?...you never know who anyone is!...that's what Kathryn's probably thinking!...your strangers - she doesn't trust you...she needs her sleep and she'll never sleep if I'm not there!...end of story!". Isobel tried to convince Richard that "your too over protective...I'm sure your just being paranoid". "I know my daughter better than you, Isobel!" said richard. "O.k!...O.k!...you and Kathryn can have the two singe beds". "No...you and Sebastian have them...I'll sleep in the armchair in the double room...you all need your sleep!...anyway, my daughter is a princess and deserves a double bed!...it's what she's used to and I don't want to unsettle her!" he said. "You need your sleep too!" she replied. "Isobel! I'm trying to be a gentleman here!...now you wouldn't want to stop that would you?" he replied. She smiled giggling. "I love your English gentlemaness!!!!...My shining knight in armour!" she said. "What! Saving you from David!...like you need to be saved from him!...he's a saint, he's perfect, he's sweet...he makes me sick!!!" he said laughing. She replied laughing too, "Exactly, I need saving from that!!!...but seriously, look at you!...I don't deserve you!" she said. "Why not?" he asked. "I'm not exactly a saint!" she said. "Neither am I!...it sounds like we're perfect for each other...we deserve each other!" he said romantically and kissing her.  
  
It was late at night and Isobel found the young girl crying alone. She asked "What's wrong, sweetie?". The girl said her father was angry with her. "Why?" asked Isobel. The girl replied "Daddy, said I was keeping secrets from him!...but mummy told me not to tell him!...when he found out he was furious and him and mum started arguing and then he said we had to leave...Isobel, mummy isn't coming later is she?". Isobel had to admit she wasn't. "What was this secret?" Isobel asked. The girl replied it was that she had started her period a while ago. Isobel let out a great laugh. She replied "That's it!...It sounds to me like mummy and daddy are being pretty petty!...they didn't really get on did they?". The girl shook her head. Isobel said "Well, I promise you me and your daddy will get on much better. It's best he's found someone new. We'll never fight!". The young girl smiled at this promise. She said "I like you!...your nice!...not as nice as mummy, but nice!". Isobel smirked and said "Well, I've heard your mummy isn't very nice to your daddy!". The little girl laughed. "What?" asked Isobel. "Well, of course he'd tell you that!" replied the young girl. "You don't think it's true?" asked Isobel. The girl replied "I don't know!...I haven't got any other daddy to compare him to!...but!...I would say Daddy's nastier to Mummy than she is to him". "I thought you were close to your dad" commented Isobel. "Oh I am!" replied the girl. 


	4. The media startup

Chapter 4 The young boy was getting ready for bed. Isobel and Richard were close by being 'lovey dovey'. Richard romantically said to his Isobel "I promise...as soon as my little princess settles you and me can...". He kissed her. She replied "That sounds good!". "Goodnight" he said. "Can I kiss her goodnight?" asked Isobel. "Sure" Richard agreed. "You can say goodnight to Sebastian too then!" Isobel said. But when she'd gone Richard answered "No! It's o.k, I'll pass on that!". Isobel was kissing Kathryn goodnight as Richard entered their room. "Are you sure you'll be all right on that armchair?" asked Isobel. "Yes!...now goodnight!" insisted Richard as they kiss again.  
  
The next morning, Isobel awoke to find Sebastian already awake and watching tv. Isobel smiled looking at him. She smiled that is until she saw pictures of Richard, herself and the kids on the tv screen. Sebastian had turned it onto the 'Merteuil' television channel. The announcer only said "Isobel and Richard were last spotted..." before Isobel ran to turn the television off. She rushed to Richard's room in her nightgown only. She swung open the door flustered and about to spill the beans, when she noticed Richard in Kathryn's bed. Isobel stopped in her tracks. "What's wrong?...you look flustered" he asked. "I thought you said you were sleeping on the armchair" she said. "She had a nightmare!...she said she couldn't sleep alone...What's wrong was are you so flustered???". "We're on the news!!" replied Isobel frantically. "Shit! Their not going down without a fight are they?" he said jumping out of bed in his boxer shorts and flinging on a dressing gown. His daughter awoke asking "What's going on?". Richard informed both Isobel and his daughter that they must go immediately because the police were after them, as expected. His daughter jumped out of bed but commented "I can't go now!...I only have pajamas on!". Richard replied condescendingly "I meant after you were dressed, you stupid girl!". He sighed at her stupidity. The girl started crying. "We don't have time for your blubbering!...hurry up!" he demanded. "There is no need to be so horrible to her, Richard!...she is just a child!...and this is our mess not theirs!" exclaimed Isobel. Richard gave a reluctant "sorry". 


	5. Power reversal

Chapter 5  
  
Leonie, David and Eloise sat in a room in a huge office complex. A tearful David comforted a tearful Leonie. Eloise sat by herself, tearful but looking awkward as she was not the one comforting Leonie. A police chief entered the room and Eloise was the first to see him and got up saying "Have you any news?". "Are you the mother?" asked the police chief. "The nanny!" replied Eloise regretfully and sitting down. "And where can I find the mother, Leonie?". "Eloise is a member of our family!...she is like a sister!...and a second mother...anything you can say to me you can say to her" said Leonie. Leonie held out a hand to Eloise. Eloise took it and came to sit next to Leonie. "And your the mother, I take it?" asked the chief looking at Leonie. "I am" she replied. "Chief Hilban, Did you get...?" asked David. "I did...I have the finished document here and now I just need the mother's signature and two witnesses...you two will be perfect" replied the chief. "What's going on?" Leonie asked worried. "Can I look at your arms please, Leonie?" the chief asked. Leonie suddenly flung her arms behind her back reversing away from the kind police chief. "No!...why do you want my arms?...what is going on?!!" she demanded. "Can I see your back?...your ribs?...the top of your head?" asked the chief. "No!!!!!!...what is going on?" she demanded. "It's o.k, Leonie I told him...he wants to help!" David said. Leonie froze. "How could you?...it's wasn't your business to tell!!!" she screamed. "What is that?" Leonie asked. The police chief read it out "It says...I, Leonie Mary". "Yes, I know my name!...what is it???". David butted in "It said Richard is violent towards you and you fear he may be violent to your daughter....We have hospital and medical proof, police incident reports, etcetera...". Leonie freaked screaming "No way!!!!!...It's a lie!!!!!!...He'd never lay a finger on her!!". The chief replied "It doesn't say he has it just said he could...and the smallest possibility of him hurting her means...". David butted in with the answer "the police....well, the state!...will pay for a bigger search!!!!!...a nation-wide!...quicker one!...helicopters and cars!...and media coverage!". "We don't need media coverage we own a major tv channel and a newspaper between us!". "We can only span the New York area, Leonie...I'm talking nation-wide coverage!" David replied. "I'm not lying!!!!!!!!" screamed Leonie. David, Eloise and the chief spent ages trying to convince Leonie until she finally screamed at David "How could you?...If I sign that then my personal life will be splashed across all the news...and what's worse is my daughter will find out!". "She doesn't know?...But how?" the police chief inquired. Leonie laughed replying "It's quite amazing what you can do with lies and sleeping pills" Leonie smirked. "You drugged her!!!!" exclaimed the chief. Leonie paused and then said sentimentally "She adored him...how could I tell her what he was really like?". A long silence hovered the room, no one knew what else to say to convince her. David gave one last attempt "Pleaseee!...My son and my wife are on the road with a complete maniac!...and they don't even know it!...who knows what he's capable of?...she may have left me and she may have taken my son, but that doesn't mean she deserves for him to hurt her!...please!...whether they're in danger or not!...I want them home...we'll both get our kids back!!!!...this is the easiest and quickest way!". The concept tossed and turned in Leonie's mind - each way people would get hurt. "There's one thing you haven't considered" Leonie said amidst the silence. Leonie burst into tears. She tearfully explained "What happens when they are found?...You can't arrest them for anything, can you?...And then you lot will bugger off and leave me with that bastard!...and how do you think he'll react to my exposing to the whole country that he is a mad evil psycho?...Can you even start to imagine what would happen?...I know!...and what's more! - unless he's in prison, I know where he'll end up....right back where we started - with me!...because I won't have much bloody choice!...because the police don't give a bloody damn!...and don't bother trying to lie, Chief Hibilan" Leonie tearfully admitted. "And what exactly do you expect us to do when you refuse to press charges?" replied the chief. "I know there's no bloody point because it wouldn't make it to a court!". "I think you underestimate the power you have Madam...have you checked how powerful you are in this city, lately?". Leonie was lost for words. The chief carried on, "For a start!...No one will know what you've signed...Everyone will think you've paid for the expansion of the search...but when we do find them!". "If!" butted in Eloise. The chief continued "Then I promise you we will find a charge!...and if you need protection we will have armed police at your door 24/7...We won't leave you!...I promise!". "Why?" Leonie asked. The police chief paused and then gave his answer systematically "Because you are Leonie Merteuil....you and your husband own 'Merteuil television'...and he is David Valmont...him and his wife own the 'Valmont news' paper....But your other halves aren't here...so you both own it solely!...and because you both have such media influence...well, together!...together you practically own this entire city!!!!!!!". There was silence as every thought, worried and decided. Then David broke it with one last plea, "Please Leonie!...this can work!...I just want my son back!...don't you want your daughter!". Leonie paused, thought and grabbed the pen signing the document. She was convinced. The search was given the thumbs up!. 


	6. The secret revealed?

Chapter 6 The car was stationary. Richard and the kids were waiting. Isobel came and got in. "Well?" Richard asked. Isobel opened the Valmont news to reveal the front page and read it "Headline!...'THE DASTARDLY DUO'!!!...Sub heading...'Two selfish lovelorn lovers snatch children away from their frantic parents'....and that's just our newspaper!...The New York post said 'Valmert vs Valmert...the media war!'...''. David commented "I thought rival papers would be on our side! Damn!...it doesn't matter, we'll get to the airport soon!". Richard started driving again. You could feel the tension and nerves. Isobel gave a sob which cut through the icy silence like a razor. Soon she was in floods of tears. "I can't do this Richard!!!...I'm breaking David's heart!" sobbed Isobel. Richard spoke comfortingly "Please Isobel stay strong!...we can do this!...just a little bit further". Isobel nodded. The quietness and tensions swamped the car again. Only Isobel's sobs could be heard. Richard felt a pinch of humanity be fall him. "It'll be o.k!" he said. He put his hand on hers. Isobel turned and smiled. "All right...If you say so!" she replied confidently. She stopped her crying and just smiled. Richard and Isobel held each other by the hand as their cruised down the road. It was now a calmer, more tranquil silence than before. They were at peace. Everything looked like it could still work out. The happy lovebirds could be together forever living abroad. Isobel gave a small laugh "I'm all blurry eyed and red now!...Can I borrow a tissue?". Richard smiled reassuringly and blissfully replied "Sure...there's some in that bag there". He nodded in the direction. She smiled and let go of his hand reaching down to the bag. He had been so blissful that he had forgotten. Forgotten what was in that bag. Forgotten what was going on. Suddenly, a look of horror crossed Richard's face. "No wait!!!! Isobel stop!!!!!!". But it was too late she had found it. Isobel reached in, spotted and pulled out a pregnancy test kit. Richard continued driving but gave quick glances to see how Isobel would react. He could get away with it - couldn't he?.  
  
Isobel just stared, at it, at first. Then she asked "Who's pregnant?". Richard said nothing for a while and then replied "Leonie". "You left your pregnant wife to bring your child up by herself!" replied Isobel. "Uh huh...that's how much you mean to me!" replied a scared and shaking Richard. "You didn't seem to care whether or not I came on the phone...all you cared about was whether you had your daughter or not". Isobel paused and felt a shiver down her spine. She began to quietly sob as just stared at him. Eventually she said "Admit the truth Richard!...because I can't bare to say those words!". "It's Leonie!!!!" he insisted. "Leonie told me she can't have any more children since her miscarriage!...try again!". "You don't know her!" he replied. "Eloise?" she asked. "No...You've never met this one...you don't know her" he replied trying to keep his eyes on the road, but still being shifty and shaking inside. She knew and he knew Isobel would tell everyone. Isobel begun crying more heavily fear evaded her as he confirmed it by the second "No Richard!...I think your the one I don't know!!!!!...ever since I came on this trip with you, I've discovered more and more about you, and I think I'm now coming close to finding out who you really are!!!!!!!!" she cried. She paused waiting for him to say something but he didn't reply. "I loved you!...but I was in love with an illusion!!!!" she whined. She paused, still no reply. "You let me be deluded about what you really are just like you let Leonie!...that's why she married someone like you!...You sat there telling me how you were the victim!...how much Leonie verbally abused you!!...and how she hit out at you for no apparent reason!!!...well, I'd like to speculate on that apparent reason later!!...but now I feel with have more pressing matters like who the mother of that child is!...Who is it, Richard?!!!". Finally Richard denied it "What are you talking about?". "Don't pretend you don't know!...why else would it matter if I found out you got someone pregnant?...I know your adulterous, so it's not like I'd be surprised if you were unfaithful!...unless the affair was so serious that you couldn't admit it!".  
  
Isobel paused really wishing she didn't have to say it, but he said nothing. Isobel started crying floods of tears. She was reluctantly forced to tearfully begin "You see I have this theory, Richard!!!...would you like to hear it?" she asked. "No" he replied expectedly. She continued "If you cared enough to buy this woman a pregnancy kit AND if you had it on you personally...then I'm thinking you wouldn't just abandon her!...she'd be the lover your running away with not me!...I'm thinking!!!...I'm thinking that the mother is in this very car!!!!...Is it me, Richard???...Is there something you'd like to tell me?...Because as far as I know I've had my periods ship shape for the last couple of months....but hey!...luckily Kathryn has started her periods so there's another possibility...shall we try her????". Isobel turned round in her seat, facing Kathryn, and asked her the question. "Kathryn, is it or is it not true that Daddy didn't get angry because you've started your periods!!!!...he got angry because!". Isobel stopped. She couldn't continue for shaking. But she eventually did "Because...because they've stopped!!!". "Don't answer that, Kathryn!...she's just a mad mad woman!" David said didactically. Isobel grabbed Kathryn's hand saying "I want to help you sweetie!...Trust me, not him!...He's been hurting you, I know!...But I'm here to stop that!...All that pain! It will all be over!...just say yes".  
  
Kathryn was shaking. Isobel looked so serious, like it mattered!. Kathryn didn't understand but she could sense that her father had done wrong. She had always been told not to lie and so she only wanted to give the truth, but her mouth just couldn't form the word. It was then he struck her. Isobel. He whacked the woman round the face and she was back to the front. Just like all the times he'd hit her mother. Her mother didn't think she knew but she did. Her mother gave her sleeping pills but her and Eloise faked her taking them. Instead of being asleep Kathryn sat on the stairs hearing the screams, shouts and thuds. Her mother was a strong woman. She'd get up and just keep shouting at him. It didn't matter how much he hit her he couldn't keep her down. Until that was!...he knocked her unconscious. Isobel reminded Kathryn of her own mother. She watched as her father kept hitting Isobel and she just kept shouting. She even started hitting him, just like her mother. You rarely find women like Kathryn's mum and Isobel. People who will just keep fighting on no matter what!. And yet Kathryn had met them both!. Both rare talents!. Kathryn observed Isobel's son now getting involved. He started hitting Richard trying to stop him hurting his mother. But, her father just kept pushing them off and whacking them back into their places. Kathryn snapped out her dazed as Isobel asked her one more time "Yes or no, Kathryn????". And that was when she said it. For her mother, for Isobel and for herself. For once in her life she told the truth, when her father told her not to. "Yes!" she replied. Of course, to her it was that quick!. It seemed like her lips were forming in slow motion - everything seemed to go in slow motion. She just couldn't cope with all this information. Hurt!...Pain!...Her dad's fault!...Someone was finally agreeing with Kathryn's suspicions...this wasn't right!. The thought shuddered her mind. Her father had lied to her!. Kathryn focused in on the conversation just enough to hear Isobel's tearful words "You see Richard!...I propose to you that I am NOT the lover you are running away with...I am just an excuse!...because in TRUTH!...the lover you are running away with...to have a baby with!!...is your 10 year old daughter!!!!!!!!"  
  
Isobel paused. She turned to Kathryn and asked her "Kathryn...I know this is a hard question to answer darling...but, I need to know!...it's serious!...did your father ever have...have!...I can't say it!...have sex with you!!!!". Isobel burst into tears. Richard just sat there smugly smirking because he knew what Kathryn would say. Kathryn gulped and replied unexpectedly "How do you have sex?". Sebastian let out a great laugh. Soon he was in hysterics. "Shut up Sebastian! This is serious!". Sebastian finally calmed down and said "You don't know what sex is!!!!". Isobel turned to Richard "Congratulations!...stop bloody smirking!...it's obvious!...it's written all over your face!!...You raped her!". Richard replied coldly and smirking "You don't have single piece of evidence unless she admits it...and for that you'll have to get graphic with her!....Go ahead it will be hilarious to see when she comes out with a...No!". As Richard said the final word he turned to Kathryn. He spelt it out to her didactically. Isobel knew it was true but couldn't bare to be graphic. Then it hit her!. "Kathryn" she asked. Isobel took a deep breath scared of the answer!. "Did Daddy ask you to wee on this thing I have here?". Isobel showed Kathryn the stick. Richard's smirk sunk to pure fear. He knew it was over.  
  
Kathryn saw this fear. She could see the admittance of wrong in his face. She could tell her answer made a difference. Kathryn could tell Isobel would blame Daddy if she said yes. But that would confirm that her father wasn't normal. That he had ultimately lied to her. Kathryn didn't know what else to do, but tell the truth. So, Kathryn replied a plain and simple..."Yes". The matter of seconds that seemed to accompany that went faster than any other. No slow motion. This time it was lightening speed!. Before she could blink, her father was plunging towards her coming to whack her. This was accompanied by the words "You Bitch!!!!!!". Just as any other time she try to dodge it...but she couldn't. Thud!. Just like her mother. Thud!. Just like Isobel. Thud!. Just like herself every time he whacked her. Eloise would always gasp. That was the first sign it was wrong. Daddy didn't want anyone else to know. That was the second sign it was wrong. But when Isobel gasped!. Kathryn knew he was definitely wrong. Kathryn burst into tears for the surprisingly first time since this revelation had begun. Richard went silent and Isobel just looked at him. "How could you?!!!!!!...YOUR TEN YEAR OLD DAUGHTER IS GOING TO HAVE A BABY!!!...A CHILD!!!...SHE'S ONLY A CHILD HERSELF!!!" Isobel screamed. He replied equally hysterical "You don't understand!!!...I LOVE HER!!!". "NOT AS MUCH AS YOU LOVE YOURSELF!!!" Isobel hysterically commented. "A child!!!...I can't have a child!!!...I can't be a mummy!...I'm too young!!!" Kathryn begins crying hysterically. "Shut up Kathryn!...and stop blubbering!!!" replied Richard. Richard concentrated on his driving again. But Isobel suddenly decided and screamed "STOP THE CAR!!!!!!!". Richard surpassingly did!. There was a unison pause as everyone took a breath. The car, the children and the couple!. "Get out the car, kids!" Isobel demanded tearfully. "Your not going anywhere!...and especially not with her!" Richard shouted. But, it was too late they were out, even Kathryn. Kathryn had a good guess what Isobel was talking about. And from now on, Kathryn was on Isobel's side not her father's! 


	7. Confessions

Chapter 7 Kathryn was the first for Isobel to grab. In fact! The only one!. Sebastian was expected to escape by himself. He was lucky to even get a "Keep up with us, Sebastian". But, Isobel had other things on her mind. All she could think about was getting the girl away from him!. She picked the girl up and ran with her. Her son trailing behind. A move and an betrayal which would effect both Sebastian, Kathryn and Isobel for the rest of their lives. Sebastian never let that betrayal go. He punished Kathryn for it and felt the pain of betrayal from it. But perhaps it was Isobel who suffered most for her mistake. Because to make matters worse that Isobel had chosen Kathryn, Richard had now caught Sebastian and was holding a gun to his head. Isobel stopped in her tracks. "Him or her, Isobel?...He's your son!...Don't be stupid!...All I want is her...you can go back...you and your son...tell the world I don't care!...because by the time they find out, we'll both be on a plane abroad!...There's nothing you can do for her out here...I'll shoot your son and then I'll soon catch up with you both!...Just get back in the car and I'll take you to the nearest village or town and you go home...nothing or everything!...nothing or everything!- which will you choose?...I know which one I'd go for!...We're in the middle of nowhere, what can you do to help her?...I'd personally be concerned with how to help you and your son!...Come on!...I don't want to have to shoot him, but I will!...I've killed people before haven't I Kathryn?" he said cunningly and deviously. Isobel looked at Kathryn as she tearfully nodded. "She was there" whispers Richard deviously. "Ever heard of the Caisson serial killer?...All those little girls and me!...what do you expect me to do??!!!....and the murder of Miranda Berkeley?...Kathryn's little ballet friend!...I sat there laughing night after night as the media, the police and even my wife blamed it on the parents!" he gloated. "I know your violent, darling...and I know you didn't like Miranda...and I know your a complete and utter maniac!...but you'd never sexually abused or hurt Miranda, because you'd never do that little girls!!!" he mimics a gullible sweet Leonie's voice. Richard continues gloating "Dear sweet Leonie!...so gullible!...I remember she sat me down and told me that she didn't want us to talk to Kathryn about sex just yet...and I was like, oh yeah baby!, I agree with that!". "You raped Miranda?" Isobel asked shocked. "Miranda!...she found out about Kathryn and I...and what could I do?...of course, I had a little fun along the way!" Richard smirks. A bolt of lighting felt like it had struck through Isobel. Not only had he just admitted to killing 7 and raping 7 little girls...but he also didn't give a shit about doing it!. Part of Isobel felt she had even more reason not to let Kathryn go. But what could she do?. He was right. She there was nothing she could do. Could she just leave the pair and never remember this again?...Of course not!...how could she consider it, she thought!. But she knew she had to agree to this and then see how it goes in the car. Isobel took Kathryn and got in the car. Richard dropped the gun and got back in, grabbing Sebastian. 


	8. Trust

Chapter 8  
  
For a few moments, they just sat there. Richard started up the car and they just drove. A word really could not be picked at this moment by any of them. So, silence...a silence that cut so deep in hearts and fear, that no sane person would dare to break it. Unless you had the courage of Isobel!. "I can't let you take her!!!" Isobel screamed. Kathryn "You haven't much choice" a calm and cunning Richard smirked. Isobel's first word hit Kathryn like a tidal wave. What was Kathryn to do to resolve this?. She did the only thing she knew to do in trouble. She reached down below the seat and pick up her bible. She held in her hands and prayed while holding it. Meanwhile, the arguments continued. Isobel decided the only option she had left was to air all the bottled up feelings left in her. She smirked in her silence, "No wonder you were so desperate to run away!...you found out you got your daughter pregnant!...whoops!". Isobel looked to Richard for a reaction. The only reaction is got was a smirk. So, she calmly questioned him, "What exactly do you think people are going to say when she's ten years old!!!!!!-and she's going to have a baby!!!!!!". "No she's not" he calmly said. He looked Isobel straight in the eye and said decisively and cunning "She's having an abortion!". Isobel was stunned. Of course it was an option!. The only option realistically!. But, she was a child!. And what's more Isobel knew how firmly religious Kathryn was. Isobel made a decision which change part of Kathryn's life. True! She made lots of decisions!. But this was pretty irrelevant. In reality Kathryn needed the abortion. But, Isobel had to say it!. Isobel lost it and start shouting at Richard "What about her religion?...She's Catholic!...She can't have an abortion!". "Don't be so stupid!" he replied. Isobel couldn't quite work out whether the stupidity was found in the religious beliefs that both she and Kathryn held, though admittedly Isobel's were astray!; or whether it was because Kathryn had no decision in the actions taken upon her. It was, Isobel later discovered, the latter. It seems so ironic that in this moment, the badness seemed to have the common sense not to suggest something as stupid as Isobel was about to say. While, the goodie said the one things that would stick in the young girl's mind as she later turned her beliefs around. Isobel said "Of course not!...It is stupid!...because she's going to hell for what you did to her anyway!...she's damaged goods now!...why would God want her?". Why Isobel said it no one knows!. She knew it wasn't true!. But in a way maybe she hoped it would have a guilty effect on Richard. But he just laughed!. And that was when it all went pear shaped for Kathryn!. She'd stopped praying when she heard Isobel she was going to hell. To didn't cross Kathryn's mind to give up on her faith right now...no that was for later!. Instead a sudden stream of power shock through Kathryn. A sudden confidence!. A sudden...angry!. For the first time in her life she showed no boundaries in her angry!. She had stuff to say and she was going to say it!!!. "Hell!!!", she shouted, "I can't go to hell!!!". "Calm down!" Richard said uncaringly. What Richard didn't realize was how much power this little girl had. I'm not talking supernatural power, though she did have that!. I'm talking about the simplest and most powerful weapon in the world. The one Richard himself had been whipping her with himself...Trust/Betrayal-one and the same!. What Richard doesn't realize is that his biggest ally....will be his biggest fall. And fall he will!. Right to the bottom!. But for now, she just shouted. "Don't tell me what to do!!!!". "How dare you!!" he replied still trying to scare her with authority. It didn't work. "You lied to me!!!!!!...I trusted you and you betrayed me!!!!...and now!!!!!...your going to let me go to hell!!!. Maybe if Isobel hadn't of caught Richard's attention back to herself then she'd still be alive...unfortunately, so would he!. But Isobel doesn't care!. She saw Kathryn and let her do it!.  
  
Take this scenario: There was man preparing to walk down an alley. He took along three people for protection, just in case he was attacked. Firstly, he put the person he trusted least right in front of him. So, he could watch them. He suspected that this could indeed be a potential person to rob him of his money!. Then, he took the person he trusted second least!. He put them beside him, because he had a tiny incline that that person may also rob him. He wanted to check that one in the corner of his eye. Finally, he took the person he trusted most in the world. He didn't need any view of this person because he knew this person would never betray him. They walked down the alley and suddenly the man felt a thud. He thought to himself. The thud couldn't have come from the front because I would have seen that person!. The thud didn't even hit the front of me. The thud couldn't have come from the side because I don't feel the thud there. The only place the thud could have come from was the back, and indeed he felt the pain there. His biggest ally was his biggest fall!. And fall he did, right on the floor!.  
  
And that scenario is kind of what happened to Richard!. Isobel continued the fight between herself and Richard. But this time the argument escalated to Richard trying to strangle Isobel with one hand. An interesting concept!. Especially as he was still trying to drive. It had been a miracle so far that he had been able to drive at all!. Through all the arguments!. Through all the times he looked round to other people!. But above all, through all the times he was violent to people!. He could still drive this car!. And this violent occasion was no different!. He indeed perfectly able to drive the car and attempt to strangle Isobel one handedly. Would he have killed Isobel?. We'll never know!. Maybe Isobel knew he'd strangle her dead. And maybe that is why Isobel nodded the way she did t Kathryn. During this strangling incident, Kathryn just stared. Then something happened. After years and years of doing nothing-she took action!. She's not quite sure what made her do it: angry? fear? revenge? supernatural goings on?, etc?, etc?. All she knows is she just felt her hand lift. It was as if she could hear no noise and this time everything was slow motion. She could hear her heartbeat but she couldn't hear her brain's reaction. What made the difference perhaps, was that in that hand she still held that bible. A big leather clad bible. Even though in honesty, it wasn't really pain that made Richard lose his concentration...it was betrayal!. Her arm lifted higher and higher, and anyone seeing Kathryn would know what would happen. Isobel saw her!. And they shared an exchange of eye contact, and even though it may have been over with quickly, it felt like forever in slow motion...as Isobel just nodded her head. Go on! Do it!-Isobel's silent words said. And she did!. When Richard expected it the least, she did it!. When Richard didn't have her in sight's view, she did!. It wasn't the pain that made Richard swerve and lose control when that book hit his head!. It was hardly a hard hit!. It was betrayal!. Because for those spilt seconds Richard lost his attention on the road and let go of the wheel to check ,that he had indeed!, just been betrayed by the thing he trusted and loved most in this world. Beside himself, of course!. The sights and sounds of that swerve were the last thing Kathryn could remember before blacking out as they hit a nearby tree. 


	9. Strangers

Chapter 9 The sound and sight of that swerve was the last thing Kathryn could remember before blacking out as they hit a nearby tree. It may have been the middle of nowhere, but they managed to swerve just where a group of trees decided to grow!. Maybe if there had been nothing there to hit, then Richard would have got control of the wheel again. Who knows?. Slowly, Kathryn saw vision again. She felt something shaking her and she heard a voice: "Kathryn...are you all right?". It was Sebastian. He was like a guardian angel at the point in time. "Kathryn?...Kathryn, how are you feelings?". It was those words that struck!. Suddenly she remembered what had happened!. She looked around. Broken glass, blood everywhere and the parents both unconscious in the front seats. "What have I done?" she exclaimed. She went over to her dad - a natural reaction! - and shook him. "Daddy?...Daddy?". Kathryn tried Isobel. "Isobel!...Isobel!.I'm sorry wake up!". "I've already tried my mum...she wouldn't wake!...We need to get help!". Kathryn looked at him. "What can WE do???" she whinned.  
  
A boy and a girl were walking along a mountain. Their names were Valmont and Merteuil. Not Isobel Valmont and Richard Merteuil! - but the young pair who left those two individuals behind in a crashed up car.  
  
The strange thing was they were strangers. Sure they'd met a couple of times when their parents had thrown them together at secret liaisons or social functions, but they were only brief occasions!. Sure they'd spent the last two days in a car and motel together, but they didn't bare to utter many words to each other!-too much was going on!. But now suddenly they weren't a foursome or surrounded by a social function - it was just the two of them!. The only person there to comfort each other was the other one. The only one there to protect the other one was the other person. It was scary journey to make together alone, but it was ten times more scary solo alone!!!!!. They were dependent on each other for survival and company whenever they liked it or not!. And yet, they did like it. Both of them. From the moment Sebastian had awoken her and started talking to her Kathryn felt she begun to know him!. Suddenly he was no longer Isobel's son. But he was a living, breathing person with emotions. Their impulses didn't feel like strangers. Not as they walked along and Sebastian tried to make random jokes and Kathryn laughed at them. Kathryn's natural impulse was to wrap her arms round Sebastian and cry her eyes out. But he was stranger, she couldn't do that!. Sebastian's was to put his arms round her and comfort, too. But what would she think?. They both trusted each other in some unexplainable way. Yet, neither of them knew they felt the same. All they could feel was that bond!. The heart wrenching, body shingling feeling of that bond. A relationship! Out of nothing!. 


	10. How to help?/Have things changed?

Chapter 10 Kathryn examined the photograph of her with her father. It had been seven years since the accident. In the photograph she was only seven. Now she was sixteen and yet it had never left her. A day hadn't gone by when she didn't think about it. But for this moment in time, she wasn't angrily remembering the situation like she usually did. No, for this moment in time she was sad. She felt betrayed. A tear left her eye. She didn't let many of them come out in daylight!. At that moment, Sebastian walked in. He saw the photograph, but not the falling tears. "Look, it's Mr Perfect!.ohhh! I see that flawless skin and perfect jaw line now!.I see why you fancy him!" he teased. Kathryn however, did not find this funny!. She grabbed his clothes and screamed in his face "I DID NOT AND NEVER WILL FANCY HIM!!.IT WAS HIM NOT ME!!!". Then she let go of him. She burst into tears. He angrily shouted back, "YOU LET HIM!!!". "I DIDN'T HAVE MUCH CHOICE!!!!" she screamed back. She continued tearfully but calmer "You have no f**king idea what it was like Sebastian!.not all of us can have your perfect idyllic childhood!". Sebastian stopped and looked at her. "Gees!.calm down!.there's no need to get so hysterical!.You know it was just a joke!.your so easy to wind up!.Of course, I know it had nothing to do with you!". She burst into tears. She screamed "YOUR SICK!!!!.Your sick!!.Your sick, sick jokes are the last thing I need now!!!!". She started whacking him but he controlled her to apologize. "I'm sorry!!!" he said. He tries to accompany this by putting a comforting arm around her. But she freaked and started whacking him again. "Stop!!!.Stop!!" he screamed as he tried to stop her. Soon she gave up and fell into his arms crying. When the main brunt of the cry was over he started wiping her eyes gentlely. She sat there smiling through the tears, admiring that same hero she knew. It wasn't just the secret that drove them apart and made them defensive to each other-it was also maturity. Ever since Kathryn had convinced Sebastian to become promiscuous and then later malicious like her, their relationship had changed for the worse. Sentimental was no longer allowed to characterize his behavior. Yet, all along they still knew those little children were in there. The sweet, scared and defenseless little girl who clung to Sebastian. And the heroic, sensitive and caring young boy who comforted that girl. Now they were finding those personalities again. Or were they?. "I know what will cheer you up!" Sebastian said. He removed a hand from her back and begun to place it down her top. Before long the other hand was stroking her hair, while his lips begun caressing her neck. She reacted violently and was lividly angry with him. She flung him off the bed and then grabbed him and begin kicking, shoving and hitting him out the door. "YOUR SO INSENSITIVE!!!.WHY WOULD I WANT THAT WHEN I'M THINKING OF HIM!!..YOUR JUST LIKE HIM!!!..YOUR SICK!!!..YOUR SICK!!!..YOU INSENSTIVE SICKO!!!!...GET OUT!!!.GET OUT!!!..GET OUT!!!..I DON'T WANT YOU HERE!!!.I NEED TO BE ALONE!!!". He restrained her and tried to get her to listen to him. He sounded almost tearful, "Listen!!.Listen!!.I'm sorry!!.I want to help.I really do!!!.I just!.I just!". He paused and then got the reluctant words out, "I just.I just don't know how to help you!...How am I meant to help you if you won't let me mention.!". And she did indeed cut him up, "DON'T SAY IT!!.I TOLD YOU NEVER TO MENTION IT AGAIN!!". "Exactly!!.How are we meant to deal with this if you won't talk about it?" he said. "WE!.I'm sorry, I was not aware it happened to you!!!" she exclaimed sarcastically. "NO!.BUT IT'S MANAGED TO SCREW UP BOTH MINE AND MY MOTHER'S LIFE!!.PLUS THE OTHER HUNDREDS OF LIVES YOU'VE RUINED!!!.this isn't just your problem Kathryn!.IT'S A PROBLEM FOR ANYONE WHO COMES IN A THOUSAND YARD RADIUS OF YOU!!" he shouted. Then he calmed and finished "Furthermore, it's my problem because for some strange reason, I seem to care about!" he said. Then he stormed out. She ran after him. "I know I'm sorry!!.You think it's hard for you!.You try being me!!.waking up and being this same person, everyday!!" she tearfully said. Then she burst into tears and her speech become more tearful, "Finding out that it isn't a dream!!!.every morning I wake up and it isn't over!!!". She cried more and more and it hit his heart like an arrow. This time they were real. This was real emotion. No one was around so they let it go. He cried and she cried. They just sat there crying into each other's arms for hours. 


	11. Valmert & co present day

Chapter 11 A thirty five year old Kathryn sat in her room. She was reading the photocopy of Sebastian's journal. Well, the pages about her!. The pages were tear stained. Tear stained from her crying over them now, and her crying over them every time she read them. She could never come to terms with the way he betrayed her. The only consolation to her was that he never revealed their biggest secrets - about their childhood.  
  
Annette's shouting suddenly interrupted Kathryn's crying and reading. "CAITLIN!!!!!" Annette screamed as she stood at the bottom of the stairs in their mansion. Kathryn stormed out her room and over to the top of the stairs. "Do not use that tone with my daughter, Madam!!!" shouted Kathryn. Leonie and David came out of the guest bedroom, where they had been staying. "Calm down girls!...now what's wrong?" said Leonie in her usual calm and sweet, tranquil deposition. "We are not girls, mother!...we are 35 years old!!!!!!". "Sweetie calm down, your mother didn't mean that!" said David in the same adorational and worshipping way he usually spoke to Kathryn. And as perhaps usual Kathryn reacted to the same sensitive way "I am not your darling!...or your sweetie!...or your pumpkin!...or whatever of yours!...I have a father and I don't need another one!". "Sorry" replied David. You see nothing much had changed over the years. Yes, Kathryn had been married. Yes, had had children. But now she was divorced. Now her children no longer needed her. Now she was back to living close to the parental units. And never, even in the short time she acted out married bliss, had Kathryn ever forgotten or got over her childhood. The only change in her life since she was a teenager was that now she was a decent person. After various different forms of counseling, drug clinics, eating disorder clinics and general being told off-Kathryn changed!. She never really recovered, but she did indeed become a decent person. She cared for people, she was nice to people and didn't run her life in pursuit of making others unhappy. Not all had changed, but some had. She still didn't accept her stepfather, for example. But she was more tolerant, politer and nicer to him. Now the current 'as per usual events' of the Valmert family and co (ever since they'd become related) consisted of: Kathryn and Annette fighting, Greg trying to break them up, Kathryn trying to hate her stepfather David, Leonie and David trying to make feeble attempts to pretend they aren't only a stepfamily, and Caitlin and Lorna and Nathan constantly fighting!. There would be several tears, several arguments and several nightmares or dreams. Some of these were new 'as per usuals' when Annette came into their lives, and some had gone on since Leonie married David. But, that was the situation now. Welcome to the Valmert family and co saga!.  
  
Kathryn's mother and stepfather now lived with Aunt Helen as her aunt was growing elderly and unable to look after herself. The pair also moved because they wanted to give their house to their grandchild Lorna and her father Greg McConnell to live in since they had returned back from England. They had returned because it was decided it was best to separate 'the twins': Caitlin and Lorna. The twins had never really got along for the last six or seven years. Lorna held a similar secret to Sebastian and Nathan, and yet Lorna simply didn't know how to cope with it. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. Caitlin missed her dad, and Lorna her mum. Even the recently divorced pair, Kathryn and Greg, missed each other as friends. Fair enough - the twins could learn to get along- but how on earth did Greg and the others expect Kathryn and Annette to get along?. Annette being Greg's new wife!. "Caitlin!!!" repeated Annette impatiently. "Caitlin come listen to her!!" called Kathryn. "I am not a HER!!" shouted Annette at Kathryn. "Caitlin, sweetie" called Leonie and David. Eventually Caitlin appeared. She was a pretty girl, with angelic long blonde hair and angelic deep blue eyes. You could tell why everyone adored her, too. She took after her mother - unlike her sister! - in everything way of perfection. Caitlin's fake smile swapped her face and she tried to look as innocent as apple pie - knowing full well what Annette was going to say!. She couldn't let her crowd down!. "Annette, would like a word, dear" informed her grandmother Leonie. "Annette, would like an argument!" informed Kathryn. "Yes, step mama?" Caitlin replied sweetly. Annette grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into the kitchen. "Oi!" Kathryn shouted at, and Caitlin exclaimed at, Annette. In the kitchen, stood a boy of seventeen also. Blonde hair, blue eyes...in fact! the spitting image of Sebastian Valmont!. Of course, Annette McConnell would have been quite taken aback by the sight of her dead ex boyfriend in her kitchen, if it was indeed he. She of course knew it wasn't. She knew it was her seventeen-year-old son by Sebastian Valmont. The one conceived in their one and only night of passion. "Caitlin!...sit next to Nathan...NOW!.this concerns you both!". As per usual!, another scheme by this dastardly duo. What had they done now?. Conned another sucker?. Ruined the reputation of another society debutante?. Annette knew their games. All of them!. But, she didn't care if her son was deflowering every girl in the state. She didn't care if Caitlin was promiscuous. Because Annette herself had changed!. No longer was she the pride of every parent. The sweet innocent flower. Betrayal and angry had twisted her into a spoilt, gold digging, mouthy, opinionated, selfish, career orientated, practically spineless, bitch!. She didn't care about infidelity - because she was doing it!. But what she did care about was evil games!. What she did care about was there was a mini version of Kathryn running around New York!. She had to stop Caitlin!. She had to curb her on her every devious action!. She didn't care for Caitlin's reason!. Her son did though!. She didn't care if Caitlin cried every night!-Her son did!. Annette never cared because she never considered why Caitlin did what she did?. Her son did though - he asked Caitlin why!. 


	12. Mertueil & Valmont

Chapter 12 The scene was tranquil. Their friendship and bond was blossoming as they walked along hand in hand. And yet, a something was lurking on the horizon. Death!. For the first ten minutes they sort of ignored the situation. Both situations that needed to be discussed!. The conversation going on about these topics was silent. It was in their body language!. Instead of discussing the pressing matters, Sebastian decided to just crack random jokes. Kathryn laughed. Instead they briefly got to know each other. But, they just couldn't bring themselves to discuss what happened back there!. For a start, they didn't know what to say to each other!. What could Kathryn say to the boy who's mother she'd just attempted to kill?. Was he angry?. Did he think she inherited her father's violent nature?. What did he think?!?!?. Meanwhile, what could Sebastian say to this girl?. He knew she was going through a life changing experience. He knew he couldn't comprehend the betrayal and pain she felt. He hadn't know this situation before!. But, he wanted to comfort her. He wanted to comfort her so badly!. But, how?. What would she think if a stranger come onto her trying to hug her and touch her - when she's just found out that the man she trusted most in all the world has been 'taking advantage' of her. Even if she expected the comforting, he just wasn't sure if he'd upset her by talking all this stuff. Did she want to talk about it?. Was it that easy?. They didn't know because they didn't know each other!. They were strangers. And the strange thing was despite being strangers he knew her deepest darkest secrets. She didn't want him to know!. It just happened!. She didn't know him!...not really!...so how did she know if he tell everyone or not!. The strange thing is he knew what she was thinking. It must have been among that silent conversation they had!. He didn't know what to say about what happened...but he knew there was one thing he had got to say!. "I won't tell anyone!" he blurted out in a midst of tranquil silence. Of course, that tranquil silence had now turned to an icy cold tension through no fault of their own but by the situation's fault. "What?" Kathryn asked surprised he'd dared to mention she couldn't. "It's your secret to tell not mine" he said. And he stopped. Kathryn never forgot that moment because Sebastian kept his promise - well ,except for Blaine! he told Blaine! But he said he was trying to help! - other than Blaine! Sebastian never told anyone. He stood on that mountaintop and he promised not to tell anyone. He didn't even write it in his journal!. That was one thing Kathryn feared about the journal!. That he'd write it in there!. But, Kathryn's secret was never revealed to most people until she was 35 years old. She kept that secret for 26 years!...more than that!...29!. That secret begun the day her father came into her room when she was 7 years old. Her mother kept her secrets for 37!. And throughout the Merteuil women's difficult times the only thing they could reply on, the only thing who knew the truth was a Valmont!. Caitlin, Kathryn and Leonie the true Merteuil women!. There were times over their teenage years when Sebastian or Nathan Valmont would tease their Merteuil woman about their secret!. Sebastian would call Kathryn: "Whore" for sleeping for her father in turn for gifts, and, "Murderer" for murdering their parents - even though he knew neither was true!. Murder equals Death!. And you knew Death was coming. The story goes Merteuil mum marries Valmont dad and all live screwed up in the Valmont home. No Valmont mummy and no Merteuil daddy! Good-bye to the old and in with the new! - and that's exactly what Leonie and David did. Their business joined to make "Valmert media corporation"!...thanking the New York post for the concept of adding those names so beautifully together in their media coverage of the kidnapping. Leonie and David wanted a new family. Neither had been happy in their previous marriages and now wanted a family in their happier one. Indeed, the new Mr and Mrs Valmont were very much in love. They were truthful in their protests that they never had an affair before their spouses died. They claimed after the accident to just be friends supporting each other through the loss. Because in the same way that Kathryn and Sebastian were thrown together to comfort each other in this critical, so too were David and Leonie. And that is how it continued. Valmont Senior and Merteuil Senior would comfort each other. And Valmont junior and Merteuil junior would comfort each other. Through this tragedy they were to find their best friend. Indeed, Kathryn was having to form a new identity at this time - she had to reassess her whole life. Sebastian was the only one there at a crucial time!. Plus he was the only one who knew the foundations of what that life was build on - the hurt, the pain...the betrayal!. In the next few years, he would excuse, cover up and sympathize we've the evil bitch he saw form in front of his eyes...just because he knew the foundations. He knew or could guess every motive!. If people bitched about her then he'd be the first to jump in to her defense, claiming that they didn't know what she'd been through. Except of course when it was him who was 'bitching'. Then one day Sebastian snapped. Kathryn turned double crossed and rejected the only person who had stuck by her through thick and thin - the day she said she tricked him into dumping Annette, he realized every piece of her shattered heart had eventually burned away through the angry. Was there a heart left?. He knew the only way to sort Kathryn's life out was to show his journal to everyone - He knew he could rely on Annette!. 


	13. Death

Something was lurking on the horizon.Death!. As I was saying before, we knew they had to die...Valmont and Merteuil...of course, not the Valmont and Merteuil we see before us...but the ones they'd left behind. And just as we knew, so did the young boy, Sebastian Valmont. So, when his naive adventuree asked the inevitable question he didn't know how to break it to her. "Sebastian" she asked as their barriers of not speaking about the subject had clearly been broken. "Uh huh" he naively replied unbeknowingly the question. "Are our parents going to be die?". As she stopped he had carried on. And as they were joint by the hand, their was a shudder as the question and the hand join pulled him back to her. It took him a while to answer "I think so". "I'm sorry...what I've done to your mum" she replied. Sebastian scratched himself awkwardly and looked away, till he eventually casually remarked "You did what you had to do!". "She nodded...she let me!" Kathryn said. "I know!...it's just...she's my mum...and I think I might have lost her!". Sebastian had broke into tears. Kathryn just went for it...on the impulse...she comforted him. "It really sunk in when we were five minutes down the road...that we should've stayed because...she was a alive...and it might be the last time I see her". Kathryn begins to cry again. "No! They'll let us see them!" Kathryn reassured him through her sobs. "Do you want to see your father?" Sebastian asked. "I'm not sure...I suppose so...if he doesn't die then I don't want to see him after...one last good-bye!...that's all I ask!...maybe a chat about stuff!...How he could do that!!!". Now Kathryn is in more tears so Sebastian comforts her. They cry in each others arms. "I'm scared Sebastian...there's so much going on and I can't deal with it all!...it scares me!". "It scares me too...but we can be scared together!". They hugged and cried together again. They let it all out - no boundaries. "I need you, Sebastian...no one else can understand what I'm going through" she cried. "Are you going to tell your family? Friends?". She Kathryn shuddered to a stop. She hadn't thought about it!. How could she tell her mother?. She couldn't!! - it would break her heart!. Her mother had spent the last 5 years of her 9 year life protecting her from the truth about her father - if her mother found out...she try and kill herself again!. It was decided in that quick second - "I can't tell my mother!". And as for Eloise! - well ,she'd blame herself too!. "No! I can't tell anyone!". "Not even your friends?" asked Sebastian. And then Kathryn smiled. "I only need one friend to support me and he's right here!". Kathryn takes his other hand and smiles. He smiles back chuffed. But, then a thought washed his face pale!. "Oh my goodness, Kathryn!...what happens when they came to rescue us?...they'll separate us!...our parents will separate us!". "I can't bare for that to happen!...No! We'll have to stay in contact!...visit each other constantly!!!" she exclaimed. "Deal?" she asked. "Deal" he agreed. They accompanied this with a handshake. "Come on!" Sebastian jumped to action pulling Kathryn along with him. "We can still make it if we try...We may still save them!". The pair ran. They ran and ran until they saw the next town. They ran to the nearest place and they didn't have to say hardly a word as everyone knew who they were!. They were stars!. 


	14. Dealing with

The scene was tranquil. Their friendship and bond was blossoming as they walked along hand in hand. And yet, a something was lurking on the horizon. Death!. For the first ten minutes they sort of ignored the situation. Both situations that needed to be discussed!. The conversation going on about these topics was silent. It was in their body language!. Instead of discussing the pressing matters, Sebastian decided to just crack random jokes. Kathryn laughed. Instead they briefly got to know each other. But, they just couldn't bring themselves to discuss what happened back there!. For a start, they didn't know what to say to each other!. What could Kathryn say to the boy who's mother she'd just attempted to kill?. Was he angry?. Did he think she inherited her father's violent nature?. What did he think?!?!?. Meanwhile, what could Sebastian say to this girl?. He knew she was going through a life changing experience. He knew he couldn't comprehend the betrayal and pain she felt. He hadn't know this situation before!. But, he wanted to comfort her. He wanted to comfort her so badly!. But, how?. What would she think if a stranger come onto her trying to hug her and touch her - when she's just found out that the man she trusted most in all the world has been 'taking advantage' of her. Even if she expected the comforting, he just wasn't sure if he'd upset her by talking all this stuff. Did she want to talk about it?. Was it that easy?. They didn't know because they didn't know each other!. They were strangers. And the strange thing was despite being strangers he knew her deepest darkest secrets. She didn't want him to know!. It just happened!. She didn't know him!...not really!...so how did she know if he tell everyone or not!. The strange thing is he knew what she was thinking. It must have been among that silent conversation they had!. He didn't know what to say about what happened...but he knew there was one thing he had got to say!. "I won't tell anyone!" he blurted out in a midst of tranquil silence. Of course, that tranquil silence had now turned to an icy cold tension through no fault of their own but by the situation's fault. "What?" Kathryn asked surprised he'd dared to mention she couldn't. "It's your secret to tell not mine" he said. And he stopped. Kathryn never forgot that moment because Sebastian kept his promise - well ,except for Blaine! he told Blaine! But he said he was trying to help! - other than Blaine! Sebastian never told anyone. He stood on that mountaintop and he promised not to tell anyone. He didn't even write it in his journal!. That was one thing Kathryn feared about the journal!. That he'd write it in there!. But, Kathryn's secret was never revealed to most people until she was 35 years old. She kept that secret for 26 years!...more than that!...29!. That secret begun the day her father came into her room when she was 7 years old. Her mother kept her secrets for 37!. And throughout the Merteuil women's difficult times the only thing they could reply on, the only thing who knew the truth was a Valmont!. Caitlin, Kathryn and Leonie the true Merteuil women!. There were times over their teenage years when Sebastian or Nathan Valmont would tease their Merteuil woman about their secret!. Sebastian would call Kathryn: "Whore" for sleeping for her father in turn for gifts, and, "Murderer" for murdering their parents - even though he knew neither was true!. Murder equals Death!. And you knew Death was coming. The story goes Merteuil mum marries Valmont dad and all live screwed up in the Valmont home. No Valmont mummy and no Merteuil daddy! Good-bye to the old and in with the new! - and that's exactly what Leonie and David did. Their business joined to make "Valmert media corporation"!...thanking the New York post for the concept of adding those names so beautifully together in their media coverage of the kidnapping. Leonie and David wanted a new family. Neither had been happy in their previous marriages and now wanted a family in their happier one. Indeed, the new Mr and Mrs Valmont were very much in love. They were truthful in their protests that they never had an affair before their spouses died. They claimed after the accident to just be friends supporting each other through the loss. Because in the same way that Kathryn and Sebastian were thrown together to comfort each other in this critical, so too were David and Leonie. And that is how it continued. Valmont Senior and Merteuil Senior would comfort each other. And Valmont junior and Merteuil junior would comfort each other. Through this tragedy they were to find their best friend. Indeed, Kathryn was having to form a new identity at this time - she had to reassess her whole life. Sebastian was the only one there at a crucial time!. Plus he was the only one who knew the foundations of what that life was build on - the hurt, the pain...the betrayal!. In the next few years, he would excuse, cover up and sympathize we've the evil bitch he saw form in front of his eyes...just because he knew the foundations. He knew or could guess every motive!. If people bitched about her then he'd be the first to jump in to her defense, claiming that they didn't know what she'd been through. Except of course when it was him who was 'bitching'. Then one day Sebastian snapped. Kathryn turned double crossed and rejected the only person who had stuck by her through thick and thin - the day she said she tricked him into dumping Annette, he realized every piece of her shattered heart had eventually burned away through the angry. Was there a heart left?. He knew the only way to sort Kathryn's life out was to show his journal to everyone - He knew he could rely on Annette!. 


	15. Alone no more

Chapter 13 It begun to rain as the rescue services begun to extract the victims from the front of the car. Kathryn and Sebastian stood watching hand in hand. By this time, Eloise had appeared. She had been flown in to the scene of the accident by one of the helicopters. She was so grateful to see Kathryn, tears flowing. The natural parents were no where to be seen!. Eloise explained that Kathryn's mother was in ill health and they refused to let her fly. Meanwhile, Sebastian's father had urgent paperwork the police made him do. They were both apparently distort to not be allowed to come - but they were relieved Eloise could go for them. Sebastian felt a bit left out. Not only did he have no one to greet him here. But he realized he would have to share the attention of his new playmate with other people now. They were no longer alone!. Kathryn was aware of Sebastian's feelings. She looked him in the eye - and spoke to him in that silent language again. It was o.k! She still wanted him!. She took his hand reassuringly. She needed his comfort. Eloise could stand there and try until she was blue in the face to understand what they'd been through - what Kathryn had been through!. But Eloise just couldn't know!. Sebastian was the only person!. And comfort they'd need!. As they stood there in the rain...umbrellas up...holding hands....emergency service lights flashing....the car decided to explode!. Poof!. Of course, the trio took a rather more worried approach than this. They went hysterical!!!!!!!!. All three of them!. There were situated about 200 feet from the car. Their view was blocked. They did not know whether or not their parents bodies have been taken out!......let along cleared of the area!. They run as fast as their feet could take them. Kathryn was screaming "Daddy!!!!!". And for a second - still running though! - Sebastian wondered why?. How could these two women care if that man died?. He was a monster, plain and simple!. But love is love. It can be unexplainable and formed for no obvious reason - but once it is formed - even falsely, it's hard to completely lose trace of it!-especially so quickly!. Kathryn had had about four hours to stop loving her dad. Eloise had always known what Richard was like. Well, she knew he was violent!. Perhaps if she had known his sexual abusing he would have hated him completely. But part of Eloise told herself...he'd never hurt her!...but then again he wouldn't dare!...he knew what she'd do!. It may have only been a convenient long time affair to him, but to her!...there was just something about him, she couldn't help loving!. Without logical explanation or reason, both those females loved him. And for the split second the cared. So, when both bodies appeared from the accident site boundary, on stretches...all three of them were relieved. It wouldn't stay that way - but for now-their natural impulse was to care!.  
  
The reunion had been emotive. Kathryn and Sebastian expected no different. They both had loving parents waiting for them back at the Merteuil tv offices. There was a eye contact first....then shock!....as if, for some strange illogical reason, they didn't it to be their children - as if was a dream that they were found....then there was relief!....then there were gigantic smiles....and then there was what seemed to be a slow motion run like you see in those love movies....they were reunited with smiles, tears and a hug...and the heartfelt words: "I've missed you...so much!". Kathryn looked at her mum. She was pale. Not as pale as when she was lying unconscious on the floor, but pale enough. And that was when it truly hit her. If her dad really would be put in prison...or die...they would be....free!. 'Free' suggests a product demonstrator standing bored for hours in a shopping mall giving away 'free samples'.....giving them away!!!!!. 'Free' products or gifts or etcetcra are so easy to obtain!. But there times when 'Freedom' is so hard to get...and those who need it most are the ones who it be hardest to receive it. Leonie and Kathryn needed 'Freedom', and it looked like they were going to get it. Unfortunately, what they could not predict was the many decades of chains and memories ahead pulling them down. They could never be free!. Even after all the revelations came out - they weren't free!. The hours after Caitlin watched her uncle William go down for several counts of rape and attempted rape, she sat down and cried. Nathan entered the room confused and inquired why she was so unhappy when he'd got his comeuppance. What Nathan didn't understand and she had to explain was that Caitlin realized that no matter whether he was punished for his crime or not! - she'd never forget!. Whether he was punished for his crime or not! - it wouldn't bring back the 8 year old Kiera who committed suicide when William after raped her!. No matter whether he was punished or not - she'd still remember!...every sound, every word, every action, every touch, every....heartbreak!. She could never forget!. She could only try to get on with her life!. 


	16. Passing thoughts

Leonie found herself sitting in an armchair next to Richard's hospital bed. No one else was there. Eloise had taken Kathryn to the gift shop. David was with his dying wife. She asked herself what every other person who knew the problems in the marriage would ask. What was she doing here?!?!?. A couple of days ago she was all ready to leave and never see the man again!. A couple of days ago, he had left her for dead and not given a damn!. Why should she care for him?!?!. She had to care!. She had to care or all the press outside would wonder why she didn't....they'd probably label her the baddie!. She had to care because he was the father of her daughter, who loved him very much!. She had to care because deep down among the hate, angry and fear!...a part of her actually loved him!. When you fall in love with someone...illusion or not!...you never seem to stop believing they'd go back to that ideal. Don't get me wrong!. She didn't 'do' all that "but I love him!!!" rubbish. Neither of the pair participated in it the majority of the time. Well, they did for the first year of their marriage. He tried to fake apologizes and she was scared and blinded by love at first. But that stopped!. Things changed!. Leonie changed!. She stopped showing her fear and she almost stopped feeling it!. She found this angry and determination within her. She wasn't gullible or dense, she gradually worked out exactly what he was doing. And she fought back!. She replied and shouted back to him - and she knew he wouldn't take it - but she needed to say it anyhow!!. She couldn't let him think he was winning!!!. And she'd be knocked back onto the floor...nose bleeding - but she'd just jump right up again. She'd keep falling, keep getting up again and he'd keep going until she couldn't get up again - unconscious!. The average domestic violence episode probably involves bruises and cuts....black eyes occasionally if your unlucky...broken bones were a rare once a year occasion...if you were really unlucky you'd have an unconscious victim once every two years. Leonie Valmont had on average 10 broken bones a year. She ended up unconscious 70% of fights!. Richard didn't care!. He was an alcoholic, yes - but that was why he hit women. True, Leonie didn't make it easy on herself...and he may not have knocked her unconscious so many times if she'd shut up and took it...but he enjoyed going that far all the same!. He enjoyed shutting her up!. Most of his attacks were systematically planned. The rest resulted in impromptu angry. He'd often make arguments. He'd often fly off the handle for no reason without an argument!. Leonie and Richard didn't bother with the all the lying to each other about their feelings. Richard wasn't sorry!. He didn't arrive home with gifts and an apologize and a "I didn't mean to" or a "You made me"...He just laughed!. He laughed because he had the power!. He wasn't going to lower himself to begging and 'apologizing'. He wasn't going to get on his knees to her!. He respected Leonie's intelligence not to bother!. She knew exactly was he was. Sure! He did love her!.....not as much as Kathryn, because Kathryn was so compliant and perfect!....but he loved her a fair bit. Unfortunately, for Kathryn and Leonie his love wasn't enough. Because he loved them....but not as much as himself!. He pleased, amused and protected himself!. In later years, her therapists would ask her what it was she loved or found mildly attractive in the real Richard. And it was this question she asked herself now. Well ,he was funny!...it was a cruel, sarcastic and twisted humor...but it amused her!. His cockiness and complete honesty about his intentions...amused her in a twisted way!. His looks were good!. And you know when you convince yourself that just because someone is handsome then they must be kind hearted - at least somewhere in there!. And there the way he treated before they married. She was a princess in his eyes. The gifts, compliments and sacrifices!. She never could quite let go of the fact that that was only an illusion...it wasn't him!. The way he was with Kathryn!!!!!!!...He loved her so much!!!. The amount of love and attention he gave that girl!. That was a big reason why she loved Richard. Because when he was with Kathryn...that was the only area of his life where he gave love unselfishly!....he gave time and money without selfishness!...he was the best dad she'd ever seen!...and she saw love and compassion in him!. And it was when Leonie saw that...that she knew in her heart that if he could show unselfish love and compassion to Kathryn, then one day he could show it to her!. As long Mrs Mertueil believed Richard's love for Kathryn to be unselfish, there was still hope. A little spark of hope kept Leonie's spirit and heart going on. And Kathryn knew this. Kathryn knew she couldn't tell her mother the truth!. 


	17. Kathryn's chance

Leonie was bored. She refused to let her heart feel emotion, love or worry. And a part of her wished he'd get on and die. Kathryn and Eloise soon returned. Followed by a doctor. "Right", the doctor begun immediately, "We've assessed your Richard's condition and as long as none of you cause him any stress he should be alright!...He's not in a coma anymore...he should wake at anytime". Leonie, Eloise and Katrhyn just stared. "So, he's not going die!" asked Leonie. "No...he's lucky!...just keep him rest and he should..." said the doctor. But Eloise interupted him in shock, "He's not going to die!...I thought thye said he was going to die!". "It looked that way...but he's extremely tough...he's pulling through...I've got some paper work to fill out...I'll be back later to check on him again...ring if he awakes or you need any assitance" the doctor said and just left!. The three of them stood there in shock. They thought he didn't have a chance!. What were they going to do now?. Leonie had to talk to Eloise. She was the only person she could think of!. "Eloise, can I have a word with you outside?" Leonie asked. "Sure, let's pop to the caferteria. "Kathryn, will you be alright by yourself?" said eloise. Kathyn nodded. The pair left and Kathryn was just left with her father. Kathryn just sat there. This was an opportunity - alone with her dad!. An opportunity she would have previously passed on! - she didn't like being left along with him - but this time, she needed to talk to him!. But what exactly to say?. Was she angry or sad?. He wasn't even awake to listen!. But, then it happened!. He awoke!. He looked so weak!, so vunerable!. He went to hold her hand. "Kathryn?" he said weakly. She pulled her hand away. She had decided she was angry. But then it changed and she burst into tears. "Angel, it's alright...I forgive...if just please hold me...I understand why you did it...I'm quite proud of you...you have spunk!...like your mother!...and like me!...Anyone would have done the same in your posistion...I understand your being angry...but stop it now...you hurt me and I hurt you...we're equal...I'll forgive you, if you forgive me" he said weakly and lovingly. She thought for a while. He looked so weak, so vunerable and so caring. He looked sorry. But so?. He did that allot - looked sorry!. He may be sorry, he may love her...but kathryn had worked it out...it was exactly what Isobel said - he may love Kathryn but not as much as he does himself. "Will you stop hurting me...hurting mum?...hurting people?" she asked. But she didn't really get an answer he only said "I don't owe you anything...you hurt me, Kathryn!...I'm willing to forgive here...I could get you done for attempted murder...want the life imprisonment?...or the electric chair, Kathryn?!!!!!" he said sinsterly. She covered her ears chanting "No! No! No!...your lying! Your lying!". She continued with hands off ears, "You hurt me!...and you hurt other people!...and it's wrong!...and I trusted you!...and you lied!!!!....you lied to me!!...you used me!!!...and I never forgive you for that!!". He grabbed her hand and she didn't make him get off - because part of her wanted him to convince that he was that bad! - that it had been a mistake! A misudertsanding!. He begged her emtoionally "Please Kathryn!...come on, take my hand and listen...just you and me...we'll leave this place...go live somewhere where no one knows us...your the one I love not any of them!...your be my one and only I promise!...can on, stop this anger!...it breaks my heart...why can't you love me like I love you?", he said through the tears. She cried too. She was thought and was about to answer when Eloise came through the door. "Richard!!!...your awake!!" she exclaimed. Eloise ran over to the assitance bell button and rang it. A nurse soon appeared delighted and checked him over. While, the nurse was there Leonie returned again. "Richard, your awake!" she said netrually. "Alive and kicking!!!" he said cheekily but weakly. Leonie said or did nothing, while the nurse was there. "He looks alright...just remember, no stressing him out, no suprises and not too much noise...visiting hours are finished in half an hour, so you have until then" the nurse reported.The trio just nodded in co-operation. Again, Leonie and Eloise were too stunned. The nurse continued "I'll be back to check on him later...if you have any problems...". The trio interupted her and in unison said "...just ring the bell". Nurse smiled and left. Leonie told Kathryn "to leave and go get Daddy a present from the gift shop". Katrhyn went. Then Leonie checked to see if the coast was clear and the nurse was out of sight before she started. Then she let it go!. "HOW DARE YOU!!!...SHE'S MY DAUGHTER TOO!!!...YOU CAN'T JUST RUN OFF WITH HER!!!" she screamed. "You were going to run off with her!" he replied bitterly. Leonie continued angrily "NO WONDER, WITH THE SHIT YOU PUT ME THROUGH!!!!...I JUST WANTED TO GIVE HER A BETTER LIFE, AND A...". But Leonie was interupted as Richard suddenly screamed out in pain, palpitated and collasped. Leonie just stood there staring in shock. "What have I done?" she thought to herself. She wondered whether she cared or not?. She stood there staring in shock!. She didn't notice Eloise staring in shock too. Neither panicked - they just stood shocked. The next thing they noticed was the emergency team rushing in. "Why didn't you ring the bell??" one of the staff shouted. "They look too much in shocked, Glenda!...leave them alone!...get them out someone!" another member shouted. Someone assisted both ladies out. As they came out someone rushed by them. Leonie look up and it was Dr Raymond Fisher. "Leonie?" he asked. Leonie just looked at him and all she could get out was "Richard's..." and then she walked on dazed. He ran in desperately trying to save his friend's life. 


	18. End of the line

As soon as Kathryn and the nurse had both gone, Leonie had just lost it. Here they go again!. Eloise sat down not saying a word. She didn't really have one to say. Not an important word!. Anyway, this was Leonie's moment!...she was going to let her have it. But Eloise soon got bored. Neither Richard or Leonie were paying attention to her. She stood up and walked over to the heart monitor. She was quite fascinated by it. That was Richard's heart beat she could hear!. She examined the life support machine. That was keeping him alive!. At first, she fascinated and thankful. Thankful and fascinated that this machine was keeping someone she cared about alive. Because in truth, now and forever, Eloise would be the only who truly cared that Richard died. The one who was never hit. He wouldn't dare!. So, in a way she found it hard to love him. But she knew what he was like to others. She saw how heartless he could be. He would leave Leonie for dead and refuse to help resuscitate her. However, Eloise truly believes that he didn't realise how serious it was - that she could die!. And eventually when Elosie spelt this out to him, he looked like he cared and he helped. But still! - it doesn't matter if he cares!. He claims to love Leonie in some bit, yes...but it doesn't matter...but Eloise knows deep down that even if he loves people, he loves himself more!...and that makes him dangerous!. She hardly took time to think. The idea just hit her. She had previously thought Richard would die. Then she's told he isn't. So, the sorted problem is now unsorted. When Richard was going die, things were going to be better. She loved!...for some strange reason she did!...but she knew he couldn't continue living. She could love him in death!. She had to be unselfish and put others first - despite her own feelings he must go!. She knew he deserved to!. So, when Eloise clicked that the life support machine was keeping him alive, she knew what she had to do. Simply disconnect it!. She took one look at Richard and kept her eyes there as quietly stepped on the cable. The line came ripping out Richard he screamed in pain and looked straight round at Eloise. But he couldn't say a word he was in too much pain. He palpitated and soon collapsed. She couldn't quite believe what she had just done!. Was it murder?. Was it really justified?. Had she really killed him?. Oh my goodness!!.  
  
Leonie and Eloise stood there looking through the see through glass window to the room. The emergency team were rushing to save him. Doctor Fisher had walked in and he noticed the detached line. No one else had. He looked up at the window. At first, he thought it was Leonie. But it was Eloise who looked straight back in his eyes. Either she knew or she'd done it. They probably both did it!. But he couldn't let the rest of the emergency team see it. He cleverly hid it under hid hand, so it looked like it was in Richard. Dr Fisher didn't make much attempt to save Richard. He knew why they'd done it and he knew it was best not to hinder the process. Richard needed to be disposed of!. Don't be fooled into thinking Dr Fisher is a good guy. He's mediocre!. To Leonie and previously Eloise, he was the bad guy!. He was the one who prescribed illegal drugs for Richard to cover up the fact he was hitting his wife, he was the one who authorised hundreds of x rays risking Leonie getting cancer, he was the one who appeared to support Richard in what he was doing. But they didn't know what had recently happened!. It wasn't ever that Raymond supported Richard. Richard and Raymond had been best friends ever since prep school. They went through everything. Raymond did that stuff for 3 reasons. Firstly, he couldn't believe his best friend would do that for no reason - so when Richard gave reasons Raymond try to convince himself they were justified. Secondly, he wanted to protect his best friend. And thirdly and above all, Raymond was petrified scared of Richard too. But things had changed!. It was the last straw when Richard came to Raymond asking for an unofficial blood test to test if his daughter was pregnant. There was no excuse for sexually abusing his daughter!. He knew Richard was bad to the core. And he didn't even know about the murders!. Raymond kicked Richard out the door and they hadn't spoken in two weeks. 


	19. Celebrations

As soon as Kathryn and the nurse had both gone, Leonie had just lost it. Here they go again!. Eloise sat down not saying a word. She didn't really have one to say. Not an important word!. Anyway, this was Leonie's moment!...she was going to let her have it. But Eloise soon got bored. Neither Richard or Leonie were paying attention to her. She stood up and walked over to the heart monitor. She was quite fascinated by it. That was Richard's heart beat she could hear!. She examined the life support machine. That was keeping him alive!. At first, she fascinated and thankful. Thankful and fascinated that this machine was keeping someone she cared about alive. Because in truth, now and forever, Eloise would be the only who truly cared that Richard died. The one who was never hit. He wouldn't dare!. So, in a way she found it hard to love him. But she knew what he was like to others. She saw how heartless he could be. He would leave Leonie for dead and refuse to help resuscitate her. However, Eloise truly believes that he didn't realise how serious it was - that she could die!. And eventually when Elosie spelt this out to him, he looked like he cared and he helped. But still! - it doesn't matter if he cares!. He claims to love Leonie in some bit, yes...but it doesn't matter...but Eloise knows deep down that even if he loves people, he loves himself more!...and that makes him dangerous!. She hardly took time to think. The idea just hit her. She had previously thought Richard would die. Then she's told he isn't. So, the sorted problem is now unsorted. When Richard was going die, things were going to be better. She loved!...for some strange reason she did!...but she knew he couldn't continue living. She could love him in death!. She had to be unselfish and put others first - despite her own feelings he must go!. She knew he deserved to!. So, when Eloise clicked that the life support machine was keeping him alive, she knew what she had to do. Simply disconnect it!. She took one look at Richard and kept her eyes there as quietly stepped on the cable. The line came ripping out Richard he screamed in pain and looked straight round at Eloise. But he couldn't say a word he was in too much pain. He palpitated and soon collapsed. She couldn't quite believe what she had just done!. Was it murder?. Was it really justified?. Had she really killed him?. Oh my goodness!!.  
  
Leonie and Eloise stood there looking through the see through glass window to the room. The emergency team were rushing to save him. Doctor Fisher had walked in and he noticed the detached line. No one else had. He looked up at the window. At first, he thought it was Leonie. But it was Eloise who looked straight back in his eyes. Either she knew or she'd done it. They probably both did it!. But he couldn't let the rest of the emergency team see it. He cleverly hid it under hid hand, so it looked like it was in Richard. Dr Fisher didn't make much attempt to save Richard. He knew why they'd done it and he knew it was best not to hinder the process. Richard needed to be disposed of!. Don't be fooled into thinking Dr Fisher is a good guy. He's mediocre!. To Leonie and previously Eloise, he was the bad guy!. He was the one who prescribed illegal drugs for Richard to cover up the fact he was hitting his wife, he was the one who authorised hundreds of x rays risking Leonie getting cancer, he was the one who appeared to support Richard in what he was doing. But they didn't know what had recently happened!. It wasn't ever that Raymond supported Richard. Richard and Raymond had been best friends ever since prep school. They went through everything. Raymond did that stuff for 3 reasons. Firstly, he couldn't believe his best friend would do that for no reason - so when Richard gave reasons Raymond try to convince himself they were justified. Secondly, he wanted to protect his best friend. And thirdly and above all, Raymond was petrified scared of Richard too. But things had changed!. It was the last straw when Richard came to Raymond asking for an unofficial blood test to test if his daughter was pregnant. There was no excuse for sexually abusing his daughter!. He knew Richard was bad to the core. And he didn't even know about the murders!. Raymond kicked Richard out the door and they hadn't spoken in two weeks. 


	20. The baby

A young woman of twenty five was adjusting her summer hat and summer dress, in front of a mirror. She heard a knock at the door and ran down. "I'll get it!" she declares. She opens the door to reveals a boy of similar age. "Hi Richard!" she says delighted. "You look gorgeous!" he says. She blushes. "Thank you" she replies. "Mummy, Daddy...we're going, see you later!" she calls out and then closes the door behind her. He offers her his arm romantically and she blushes as she takes it.  
  
They were sitting in the park a hour later. Richard and Leonie were having their picnic. It was one of those perfect days where everyone was out enjoying the sun. Families playing, friends playing and of course lovers sharing romantic moments. Richard was laid out on the grass and Leonie was sat up. Leonie was observing the rest of the park and glanced some children. She admired them gleefully. She turned to Richard and asked "Do you want children?". He smirked cheekily, "Why?...you offering?". He sucked his lips into a kissing shape and leant towards her cheekily. "Stop it!" she laughed, pushing his lips away. "You know what I mean!...in the future...do you see yourself having children?...I think I do...but it's strange!...all that responsibility!" she decided. He sat up and gave his opinion. "Of course, I want children!....but they'd have to be planned, discussed and of course....the final decision is down to my wife...she's the one who goes through the most...not to say I wouldn't look after the children...I want to spend every moment of the day with them!...none of this I can't because that's a woman's job rubbish!...I want a full hands on role...but of course, we need a nanny!...she does the messy stuff and me and my wife do the love...or just me if she doesn't want to" he said. Leonie was delighted and threw her arms around him. She declared "Oh Richard!...your too perfect to be true!...I love you so much!!!!". He smirked behind her back, but then went back to his 'perfect gentleman' look when Leonie let go and looked at him again. She looked at him disappointed, "We're not going to last are we?". "Why not?" he asked. "Because your perfect!...something's got to go wrong!...because nothing perfect every works out...your probably run off with a woman much prettier than me!" she said. He looked at her and stroked her face. He looked her right in the eyes and said romantically, "You are pretty!...you have perfect sea blue eyes...flawless skin!...your beautiful blond hair has a shine of it's own...and it curls perfectly in everyway!...I'm the one who doesn't deserve you!....you are the sweetest, most caring, most loving woman I've ever met...I love you more than anyone I've ever met...and I can't imagine anyone else that I want to be the mother of my children!...and that is why...". Suddenly he reached into his pocket. Leonie gasped in shock and excitement. Her face lit up excitedly. She had a good guess what was happening. Richard took out a jewellery box an opened it infront of Leonie to show her it. Then he finished his sentence, "And that is why, Leonie my love!...my dearest!..I want you to be my wife!...will you, Leonie Hanwell, marry me????". She went hysterical, "YES!...YES!...a hundred times YES!!!!". They both hugged excitedly and over the moon. Then they kissed. "I can't imagine myself with anyone else" said Leonie happily. Richard excitedly took the ring out and put it on her finger. Then they kissed again. "Wait!!...Wait!!...I have a poem!!...I forgot the poem!!" Richard panicked. He took a piece of paper out his other pocket and read it. Leonie looked eagerly excited to hear it. He read it out, "I woke this morning to be greeted by rain...but I did not feel sad and react in vain...for my heart was alight with a sunshine of it's own...her name is Leonie Hanwell and she's my favourite tone...Her smile is like sunshine...her cheeks like cherry drops...her hair is a corn field...not rough, but golden, smooth and perfect...her voice is like water...her singing like a nightingale...her care is like a comforty blanket...her love is like a waterfall...flowing and flowing with essence...I love her!...which she knows!...but now I'm hoping she'll marry me and kiss my cute nose". "It's not very good...it doesn't really rhyme or work...but you get the idea...ohhh!!! no you don't!....I just couldn't put down in words how I feel about you!...it's more than all that!" he said negatively. "It's perfect!...I don't need a poem!...I know how you feel!!!" she said sweetly. She kissed him. They hugged again. She begun crying. "What?", he asked, "is something wrong?...are you unhappy?...what can I do to make you happier?...is it me?". "No!!!No!!!...I'm so happy!...your so perfect!...I love you so much!...we're going to be together forever and ever, I just know it!" she declared tearfully. They were hugging, so Leonie could not see as Richard gave an evil smirk behind her back. He pulled back to look at her again. He took her hands in his and romantically said "We can marry...get a house...I can work for Daddy still...then when Daddy retires soon, I get the business...and you can do whatever you like you sweetie.carry on maths teaching.or join the business if you want!". "No thank you!.I love teaching!" she excitedly. "Oh! But you could do so much better!...you could get...like the Nobel prize!" he said, charmingly. "I couldn't!" she said modestly. "You could!...you know how clever you are!...especially at Maths!" he said. "But I want to help kids with maths!" she said. "Do whatever you like my love!...I'll love you even if you choose to be a cleaner!...it's not like we need the money...you can do what you like". "What about when, hopefully, have kids?" she asked. "We'll get a nanny if you want...if anyone's going to stay at home it's me!...your way cleverer than me!...we can't waste your brains!...stay at home or go to work! Whatever you want, my dear!" he said charmingly. She kissed him excitedly and loving. They both admired the ring and hugged again.  
  
Twenty seven year old Leonie Merteuil sat in the doctor's office holding her husband's hand. They had been married for two years. They looked nervous and worried. "Is it cancer?...or some illness?...what is it?" she asked worried. "There's nothing to worry about...your simply pregnant, Mrs Merteuil...that's why you've been feeling ill!...congratulations!!" the doctor replied. "Pregnant?...of course!...that explains it!!". Leonie and Richard looked shocked, but soon a smile shot across their faces and they hugged excitedly. They exclaimed happily, "Pregnant!!!....we're pregnant!!!...we're having a baby!!!". "Congratulations, Mr and Mrs Merteuil!!!...I love this part of the job!...the joy on people's faces!" the doctor said. "Am I one or two months pregnant?" asked Leonie. "Let's see...from what you've told me from when your last period was and etcetcra...let's see...the baby is.......3 months old" the doctor declared. Leonie thought and her face sunk. She went a ghostly pale. She let of Richard's hand, pulling hers away from his. She was no longer smiling. "Three months!!" Leonie whispered devastated. Richard's face sunk too, and he gulped, when he realised too. The doctor continued unaware, "The date of conception is...". As the doctor gave the date, Leonie accompanied her in a whisper. They both said "...January 22nd". Leonie looked like she'd seen a ghost. She grabbed her bag and ran out without even looking at Richard. "Is she all right?" the doctor asked. "Just leave her" David said, remarkably calmly.  
  
Her sister Abigail (Abby) comforted Leonie. "Your pregnant!...well, that's great isn't it?...I know he's a bastard, but I thought you said things were better now!" said Abby. "They have been" Leonie said through tears. "Are you worry about when things don't go well again?...the future?...because sweetie, o be frank!...you've always dreamed of having children!...it's one of your life goals!...and I'm sorry, but if your planning to stay Catholic, sweetie, then Richard - bastard or not! - is the only one your going to be able to have kids with!". "You don't need to remind me of the fact!...I know!...you don't need to remind me of my mistake!...anyway, it isn't that!...I should be worry about mine and this children's future with that monster, but I haven't got round to it yet!" Leonie tearfully declared. There was silence as Leonie just cried and Abby tried to find the words to comfort her sister. Abby put an arm round Leonie's back to comfort her. Abby stroked her face lovingly comforting her. "I was happy!!!...even though it's Richard's!...I mean I do love him!" tearfully said Leonie. "Oh no, Leonie!...you can't!...why?" her sister pleaded with her. Leonie continued, "I was happy when I thought it was one or two months ago...but it's three!!!". Leonie burst into tears. Abby paused and comforted her sister. "Are you worried about it being sooner...because it's only six months away now?" asked Abby. "No!!!" Leonie whined, frustrated that her sister didn't know. Leonie cried and began, "For the last two months things have been great between Richard and I...he hasn't been violent towards me at all...he's been so romantic again!...it's like before we were married!" said Leonie. "Probably because he realises your going to leave him soon!...Leonie!...your husband not beating you in two months is grave optimism!!" sniped Abby. "You have to take what your given, Abigail!" she Leonie meekly. "So, your upset because the baby wasn't conceived in your rosy period?!!" concluded Abby. "No!!...let me finish...these two months have been perfect...but it wasn't like that before then...in the months before, we were at an all time low!...things were sort of made worse by me!" tearfully said Leonie. "Don't you dare blame yourself, Leonie!...this is not your fault!" snapped Abby. "But, it was!...if I just hadn't of rocked the boat!...you see...you know me!...I can get...well!...if wrongs are dealt out, then I fight them!" said Leonie. "Good for you!" replied Abby. "Bad move!...I know it's not logical!...but I just couldn't help it!...in the first year it started happening I was scared...but then I kind of flipped!...I became angry!...and...and...I fought back!" said Leonie. "Go for it!!!...I'm so proud of you!...you see that's why he's stopped!...he knows not to mess with you!" said Abby triumphantly. "No Abby!...it only got better when I stopped rebelling against his power!...it gradually calmed down" said Leonie. "You didn't become the s word did you??!!....tell me you didn't, Leonie!...not!...submissive!...how could you!!!...well, that's a great 'rosy period' isn't it!" said Abby. Leonie continued, "Anyway!...back to before then!". Leonie begun crying again, but soon continued, "The more I fought back, the more violent he got...it was terrible!...but I didn't stop there...the more violent he got the more I decided to take control other ways...I refused to sleep with him for months!" said Leonie. "You go girl!!!...brilliant!" cheers Abby. Leonie suddenly screams at Abby tearfully, "DON'T YOU GET IT!!!". Leonie finished by a whisper, "He just snapped once!". There was a chilly silence as Abby realised and Leonie tearfully awaited a reaction. "Oh Leonie!!!" Abby said bursting in tears. Abby opened her arms and Leonie fell tearfully into them. Abby and Leonie could feel each other shaking. Finally, Abigail look her sister in the face and asked, "Are you SURE it's that night!". "Positive!...Abby, I know that date like my birthday it's in fixed in my mind...and beside from that! We didn't have anything conceptionable a month after or three months before!...it is January 22nd!...that night!" cried Leonie. Abby hugged her sister again. Both were still tearful. Abby pulled her sister out to face her again. "Sweetie!", said Abby, "I'm not doubting you...or questioning you...I just want to make sure...are you sure he raped you?...you couldn't have mistaken it?...no! I don't mean that!...I mean, he couldn't have mistaken it!...because he's got a temper, but is he really that evil?...are you sure he knew you'd said no?". Leonie tearfully replied, "Abby!...he put a...!". But she couldn't say it. "Put a what, Leonie?...come on tell me!...I want to help!" asked Abby. Leonie found all the words hard to say, and got through them reluctantly and tearfully, "he put a!...a sock in my mouth!!!...and he held me down!!...so he knew I was struggling!!!...and then!!!....he tied me to the bed, Abby!!!...and if that wasn't enough to convince you!!...he then told me to shut the fuck up!!!!, and to lie back and take what I fucking deserve!!!!". Leonie broke into so much tears that she could not continue. Abby was in paralysing shock. Abby just sat there, tears pouring, staring into space in devastated shock. Leonie just rocked herself tearfully. Leonie just couldn't stop crying!!!. She rocked and rocked, and cried and cried!!!.  
  
Twenty minutes later, they were both calmer. Abby had her arm round Leonie, and they were both only silently gently crying. "Everytime I look at that child, all I'll remember is that night!...every sound, every touch, every pain, every look!...it will just be an everlasting reminder!" said Leonie tearfully. She burst into tears again, and Abby rubbed her back comfortingly. "What are you going do about the child?...are you having it?" asked Abby. "I can't have an abortion!...How can you say that?...your as Catholic as me!" replied a surprised Leonie. "I know!...and I usually wouldn't ever suggest it!...but it's rape, Leonie!...you can't keep a reminder of that!...isn't there a loophole where you can if it's rape?...the church can't expect you to keep it!" said Abby. "There's been a debate for years and years!...but I think the decision is no to abortion still...they say...and I agree!...it's not the child's fault!...I murder the poor thing!...and!...God gave me this baby for a reason...I don't know what it is!...but I'm sure it's a good one!" said Leonie. "Yeah...of course!" said Abby supportively. "But...that doesn't mean adoption isn't ruled out!...maybe the reason God gave this child is so I can give it to a childless couple...I don't know!...maybe I'll keep it...I just don't know!" concludes Leonie. Abby and Leonie look at each other and hug.  
  
Leonie and Richard were watching a home movie. Richard and Leonie were sitting on opposite sides of the sofa. Richard looked at Leonie and started moving over near to her. Leonie moved further away from him. Eventually she had to further to move and he caught up with her. He put his arm round her and started caressing her neck. She pushed him away with her hand. He sat up disappointed. "We need to talk about this baby, Leonie" he said. Leonie remained silent and watched the film. "I know it wasn't conceived under the best circumstances...and I'm not going to apologise for that...because you know I'm not sorry and I'm not going to insult your intelligence by pretending I am!...but I love you all the same!...and we both want children...and I just don't think you should do anything stupid...think about this! This is what we both want!" he said. "I'm keeping it there's no need to worry" she said coldly. "That's fantastic!...you won't regret this!" he said thrilled and kiss her cheek. "I've always wanted a son!...I can teach all my know how...how to play baseball, American football, basketball...we'll be down that park every week!...I'll teach him how to be 'a man'...how to chat up 'the ladies', how to dress well..." he said excitedly. She continued his sentence without his consent, "...how to beat up women, how to trick them into falling in love with you...how to drink copiously amounts of alcohol...how to be an idiot...how to pass high school when your so dumb!!!" she said snipingly. She got up angrily. He was annoyed too, but said nothing. Just before she left the room she turned and said, "By the way...it may not be a boy remember!...what will you teach her then?". Leonie left in a huff. "It will be a boy!...and you better make sure of that!" he called after her. She returned and went right up to his face, "How on earth can I stop it being a girl?". He grabbed her aggressively and suddenly she was scared, "You'll think of something!...your so clever remember!".  
  
A fair few reporters stood outside the hospital waiting for Richard Merteuil. He appeared with a beaming smile but looking tired and flustered - like anyone new father!. The reporters rushed up to him with many questions. They were restrained back by press officers and body guards. Richard made a speech, "At 2.30 this afternoon...I can confirm my wife did give birth...and I can reveal it was to a baby...girl!...unfortunately, I do have to report that the baby is having difficulties...there's been complications and we're not sure if she's going to make it through the night...fingers crossed!.. watch Merteuil television for exclusive updates!!!...ummm...me and my wife would really appreciate some quality time together and with our child...in what could be his last few hours...We're hopeful though!...doctors seem to think she may be all right, but we're see...at the moment, we're just over the moon to have her!...she is so cute!...she has beautiful perfectly shaped fingers and toes...she has her mother's beauty!...and we are happy!...but we do ask that your prayers remain with us...That is all, Thank you!". Mr Merteuil left even though hundreds of questions barraged him. Namely, have they got a name for her yet?. He seemed the perfect picture of a proud but worried new father of a sick new-born. If only they knew!. If only they knew that it was just an act. If only they knew that Richard then went inside and entered back into that awkward room. They weren't happy!. Richard and Leonie were not happy. A tension filled that room. A chilling silence. No one said a word. No one held the child. No one looked at the child. What were they going to do with it?. Richard had been so keen about having a child until he found out it was a girl. He hadn't touched Leonie ever since he found she was pregnant!. He made her comfortable, bought her gifts and weighted on her hand and foot. But the first thing he said when he found out it was a girl was not "Oh she's so cute!!" or even a "Oh doesn't matter that it's a girl", it was a "Why the hell did you give me a girl, bitch?". Very loving!. Leonie nearly burst into tears. She knew this would happen. "It isn't my fault, Richard!...so don't blame me!" Leonie said pathetically whining. "Would Daddy like to hold the baby?" asked the nurse nervously. "No, I would not!" he replied bluntly. "Would mummy?" asked the nurse. Leonie squinted at it, and looked disgusted. "No!...Just put it somewhere!" Leonie said. "And go!...I want to be alone with my wife" said Richard. The nurse went. "It's got to go!...we can't keep it!" declared Richard. "Good!...I agree!...I didn't tell you this but...I've always thought maybe adoption would be best...I didn't tell you because I was going to give birth to it either way!...I don't want a reminder of your ugly mug!" declared Leonie. "Good, that's agreed!...neither of us want her!...a girl!...I don't want another one of you running round wincing!...I can't play sports with her!...I can't teach her my tricks of the trade!" he declared. Leonie whispered under her breath, "Thank goodness, you don't have a son...and I pray you don't!...the world couldn't cope with two or you running round!". "What was that?" Richard sniped. "Nothing!" Leonie replied. He knew exactly what it was but he decided to leave it for now. "Right!, here's the plan!...I go out and seem all proud and glad...but I mention there's been come complications and she may not survive....meanwhile we get the adoption thing in process and later announce it died but unofficially it's adopted" he declares. "What if she turns up one day on our doorstep asking for us?" Leonie asked dazed. "We tell her to piss off!" declared Richard. Leonie thought and then said "O.K...go talk to the press". He was ready to go when she declared "Wait!". He turned and said "What?" irritated. "Should we name her?" asked Leonie. "Why?...we're not keeping her!...oh o.k!...something simple...like...like...Kathryn...right that's it that's what she's called...it sounds respectable enough and simple enough...that's her name" he said and then left.  
  
When he left Leonie she just sat there. She felt and looked dazed and confused. The nurse re-entered now Mr Merteuil was gone. "Would you like to hold your baby now?" asked the nurse cautiously. Leonie nodded. The nurse smiled and put her in Leonie's arms. "I'll leave you two alone" said the nurse. Leonie just looked at the baby and then spoke to it, "Kathryn, ay?...Well, hello Kathryn...it's nice to finally meet you seeing as we're been living on top of each other for so long...this isn't so bad is it?...your just a baby...your new life!...out with the old in with the new, ay?...what was I worried about?" said Leonie in baby talk. Leonie cried looking at her new-born daughter. She said, "Oh look at me!...how can I not keep you?...your mine!...no one else's!...I'll have you even if I have to leave your Daddy to keep you!!!". Leonie hugged the child closely into her. "I love you, Kathryn...I do, I do, I do!...I'm so sorry, what I said!...it's just...I thought you'd remind me...and you don't really!...your new!...it's old!...and I think you might just be the best thing that's happened to me lately...I'll stick by you, Kathryn...will you stick by me?". She hugged the child back into her just as Richard was re entering. "What are you doing?...I thought you said you wanted to get rid of her!...we agreed!...remember it was a mistake!...a silly one night mistake!" he said angrily. Leonie held the child tight to her and turned it away from him, saying "You can get rid of her if you want, but I'm going with her...whenever she goes I go!...I'm keeping her!...and if that means leaving you then so be it!" said Leonie secretly shaking. "You can't leave me!...I'd beat the shit out of you before you even got to the door!...just as I have done everytime you leave" he said viciously. "I'm in a hospital and there's loads of people around!...and anyway! I don't care!...you can do what you like because I'm having this girl no matter what!" said Leonie. Richard paused and thought. Then he said, "O.k...I'm giving in to you!...but let's say...two things here...firstly, let's say it's not worth losing you over some kid...secondly, let's say...why you so keen on that kid?...what's so special about her?" he asked touching on caring. "I've carried her around for nine months!...that's special!...I felt a bond, Richard!...one I've never felt before!" she said emotionally. "But just a minute ago you didn't want her!" he said confused. "I know!...I just wasn't sure!...and I hadn't seen her!...I thought the memories would override the bond...but it was the other way round!...just look at her!!!...she's so cute!!...look, Richard!!!" she said. He reluctantly looked at the baby. He was scared to feel emotion for it. He was scared to attach. Leonie continued and play with every part of the baby's body as she described it, "Her perfect little toes and fingers...her little cute mouth...her beautiful eyes!!!...her cute little ears!!...her tiny cute nose!!...her tinyness!!...her cuteness!!...the way she looks at you so adorably...so dependently!...so admirably!". Richard looked and reluctantly said "She's all right" and shrugged his shoulders. "That's a long way from what you thought of her before!...you want to hold her?" said Leonie. "O.K" he shrugged. He held her and looked at her, sulking. He even began to play with her bodily parts a bit. Then he sulkily said, "But what can I teach her?". "Loads!...you can still play sport with her!...you can still teach her about your English culture...you can still teach her about life!...she's your little princess...she'll turn out however you bring her up!...she needs us!...and there's loads of stuff you can do with a girl that you can't with a boy!...she's so much more attentive to her parents...less embarrassed and older to become so!...and just so much cuter!...you'll adore her!...just give it time!...it was a shock!" said Leonie eagerly and excited. "I suppose if you want her we can keep her!" said Richard sulkily. "But do you want her Richard?...even a little bit?" asked Leonie. She pinched his cheeks. "Well, I suppose she is pretty cute...she's growing on me!" he admitted. Leonie was delighted and swung her arms round him. "Oh Richard!!!...We're going to be a family!!" declared Leonie excitedly. "Our little Kathryn!" declared Leonie lovingly looking over Richard's shoulder at her new-born daughter. "Our little Kathryn...Kathryn Merteuil!!!" declared Richard adoringly looking at Kathryn. They both looked at Kathryn adoringly proud. They were a family!. 


End file.
